Dark
by Dove of Night
Summary: Kidnapped from her father's mansion in the dead of night, Kaoru finds herself trapped in a world of deceit and lies. To make matters worse, she falls for her kidnapper... Battousai & Kaoru, Complete!
1. Chapter One

Dark  
  
Chapter One  
  
A/N: Hey, y'all. This IS my first fic, but please don't be all nice to me because of that – I don't want to be handed reviews on a silver platter! ^-^ (*Cough*Lying*Cough)  
  
It was dark. Don't get more descriptive than that. There was no moon. There were no stars. Nothing but pure blackness. A cloudy night with a new moon. Perfect.  
  
Himura Battousai mused on that as he swept down an unlit street. His grace made him blend into the shadows perfectly, he was there and gone with a soft whisper of fabric. His unshielded golden eyes darted languidly. He did not look nervous, or excited. Instead he seemed to be lacking either emotion. He took in his surroundings, filed them into memory, and moved on. He did not hesitate.  
  
Slowly, a large mansion came into view. It was incredibly well-lit. Battousai snorted. Half of the money put into powering this one building couple probably feed every starving family for a week. But then – the rich and powerful didn't need to worry about trivial things such as other people.  
  
But no, that was not fair. His employer did. And that was why he had sent Battousai on this specific mission. He slipped into the few shadows cast by the light, and effortlessly made his way into the house, avoiding security when he could, and killing whoever tried to stop him with his unique Katana when he couldn't.  
  
Kaoru Kamiya sighed in annoyance. Ever since the threat they'd received a little over a week ago, her father had insisted on total 24-hour surveillance for her. Six men slept in the room with her – not that they were all that close, her room was large enough to pass for a small studio apartment. And four men were posted at each set of double-doors leading into and out of her room. That made eight men outside. All this 'safety' was stifling. She glanced around at her 'bodyguards'. They each had their own seat, and currently had pulled all of their chairs together around a small table for a game of cards.  
  
She finished brushing her long, thick black hair out. Placing the brush carefully on the vanity, she braided her hair tightly. Just as she finished putting the elastic band on, the double-doors to her right burst open. The frightening stench of blood hit Kaoru hard. She did the first thing she could think of.  
  
Battousai almost laughed as he watched the frail, porcelain-like girl race to her bed. She hopped on the rather large canopy bed, and tried to disappear in her pillows. He shook the thick blood off of his Katana. Stepping over the fourth dead guard that he'd just finished disposing of, he entered the room. The six men inside had already leapt up from their game of cards and were lined up in front of him, semi-automatic pistols held in shaking hands. Battousai sheathed his sword and crossed his arms. The men stared. Kaoru considered her position, and how to get away.  
  
"I have no wish to kill you." Battousai said softly, his voice carrying all of the power he needed. Why waste time yelling when he could get the desired reaction with a soft tone. "Leave now, and I will spare you. I have no fight with any of you, and no wish to see your blood." But one of the men made a fatal error. He began to laugh.  
  
"You're going to kill us with a silly little sw-" His derision ended abruptly with a gurgle of blood as Battousai laid his throat open. The other men, frightened severely now, began to shoot wildly. Not one bullet even came close to hitting the red-haired man. The sword flashed imperiously in the night. Kaoru wondered for a tiny instant about the fact that the blade was reversed. And then she realized that one man stood between her and death. She leapt up as Battousai moved in for the kill, and ran like each step was her last.   
  
Battousai caught the move out of the corner of his eye. She jerked open the other pair of double-doors, and gave a shriek as she saw the dead bodies of the men out there.  
  
Kaoru tried to stop all forward motion at once, but her body had other ideas. So, with this distinct imbalance, she found herself sprawled in a pool of blood. She gave a yelp, and tried to get up. She slipped a few times, but finally got up, shuddering and feeling unbidden tears on her face. They were dead because of HER.  
  
Battousai finished the last man off absently, and began to approach the shaking girl. She whirled on her heel, and stared at him with eyes that were utterly.. furious? He faltered for an instant. That girl looked very, very mad. The look was not lessened by the blood all over her blue tank-top and white sweats. And her face. In fact, it looked like she'd been killing. Not him. Battousai was momentarily confused.  
  
Kaoru backed away. And then heard his voice.  
  
"I'm not going to kill you." She stopped in mid-flee. And blinked. He sounded as though he was telling the truth. "Those were not my orders." She realized then what he meant to do. And ran again.  
  
Granted, she knew the halls very well. Having lived there all her life. But she was upset, and afraid. That slowed her down some. And she was barefooted, which made running on hardwood floors slightly less enjoyable.  
  
Battousai caught up to her effortlessly, and caught her by the shoulder, spinning her. She slipped as he grabbed her, and fell hard. She landed on her back, and slid some. He leaned over, and almost gently grasped her upper arm. Kaoru struggled angrily in his grip, but he was not giving.  
  
For a moment, gold and blue connected. Battousai's eyes were incredible. They were beautiful, like a cat's. But at the same time, utterly and completely terrifying. Almost like a feral tiger. Kaoru felt the will to fight almost drain out of her at his eyes. She knew she wouldn't win. Which was what made her all the angrier. His voice was very soft. And carried more weight than any of her shouting would have. One word.  
  
"Stop." She froze, staring at him. And then jerked slightly, for lack of a better reaction. His sword flashed and she went limp. The blunt edge had connected just right. He reasheathed his blade, and lifted her up in his arms. And then he strolled right out of the mansion and into the night with his unconscious prisoner. His orders had been clear:  
  
'Kaoru Kamiya. Kamiya Mansion. Do not hurt her. Move quickly. Take her and keep her at your apartment. Await further instructions.'  
  
A/N: I hope you liked this. It's kinda an idea I've been playing with. Criticism welcome, questions to. Corrections? Please tell me! In this, Tomoe never existed because I'm not a fan of her (No offense, Tomoe fans!) and she doesn't fit my storyline. In here, Kenshin is still Battousai. I know I made him seem awfully kind and OOC right here, but in the upcoming chapters I'll try to make him more 'Battousai'. Oh, and before everyone tells me, I KNOW this is kinda like broken pieces, from the almighty Linay (Seriously! A great story!!) but that's only for MAYBE two chapters, and then I level out of my dive and it charges away from her storyline.  
  
And as you all know, reviews make the heart grow fonder!  
  
And they make ME type faster!  
  
So click that little button! 


	2. Chapter Two

Dark  
  
Chapter Two  
  
A/N:   
  
Oh yeah, I forgot, I don't own Kenshin, 'cause if I did, he'd stop with his 'Rurouni' thing and actually use that Katana of his. ^-^  
  
Battousai tossed his prisoner haphazardly to his right as he strolled into his apartment. The unconscious girl landed on a large, soft blue couch. He almost smirked as she groaned and regained consciousness. Her black hair had come loose from its ribbon somewhere along the trek to the apartment and now streamed freely down her back.  
  
"Why did you take me?" Her voice was tiny, but clear. It rang loudly through the silent apartment. It was an obvious question. Yet Battousai was surprised at how she asked it. Her voice did not tremor with fear, like a 'normal' kidnapping victim. She stared at him with her crystal-clear azure eyes, waiting for an answer.  
  
Battousai ignored her, instead choosing to take his black leather duster off, folding it neatly. Her eyes followed his every move as he placed it on an end table, straightened, and began fiddling with the cloth belt that held his sword. Finally getting the tight knot to release, he folded the belt, his Sakabatou held under his arm.  
  
He looked up, and realized to his surprise that she was still staring at him. He sighed.  
  
"I was ordered to." He grunted impassively. Kaoru was not satisfied.  
  
"Who told you to sneak into my house, kill fourteen men, and kidnap me?" He glared at her.  
  
"More than fourteen." Her gaze did not waver. She was still defiantly staring into his face. Finally, he voiced his own question. In a low tone, he asked, "Why aren't you afraid?"  
  
"I don't see any reason to be." She responded, finally pulling herself into a sitting position and straightening out her clothing.  
  
He drew his sword, enjoying the slight wince she made when the blade made a slight 'ching' as it left its sheath. "Why."  
  
"Because your orders were to kidnap. You coulda killed me, but you didn't." She continued looking at his face. Suddenly, she was looking at nothing but a sheath hitting the ground. She blinked, and started to move her head to look for him.  
  
A gentle caress of steel on her right cheek caused her to stiffen. Battousai lazily traced the outline of the girl's jaw line, before letting the sword come to rest on her shoulder.  
  
"My orders did not say I could not hurt you, however." He lied smoothly. "And I am an assassin, I know of ways to cause pain you couldn't imagine. Without the respite of death." His voice was soft, but held a promise Kaoru could not ignore. "Do you understand?" She nodded slowly, much less certain of herself in light of his threat.  
  
He dropped back, taking his sword away from Kaoru's neck. He picked up his sheath from where it had fallen, and slid the sword in with a sharp 'click.' Kaoru watched his golden eyes as he glanced at her coldly. And then without moving, watched him walk to a rack on the wall.  
  
Kaoru felt a tiny sensation in her stomach, that told her she recognized the rack. Well, not really. But it looked like a sturdier version of the one in her father's dojo. She'd spent enough time there to know.  
  
There was already one sword there. It was much shorter than the Sakabatou, and Kaoru identified it as the companion sword. She watched as Battousai delicately placed the sword on the rack, and turned to face her.  
  
She was still staring at him, Battousai noted. Her eyes weren't exacty frightened. But they did not carry the same defiant confidence. He continued to study her face. It was delicate, the features gentle and her skin looked almost porcelain. Although it was marred with now-dry blood. And she had a nice body, too, he noted as he looked her over. She noticed, and turned bright red. And then made quick work of studying him in return.  
  
He was not at all ugly, she noted. His face was almost feminine in appearance, but at the same time not at all. It was deceptive. His chin was small but firm, his cheekbones defined. He wore his impossibly red hair up in a high ponytail. Much like her own, she realized. Although she usually kept hers slightly lower. He wore blood-soaked clothes. That realization made her head spin, so she immediately brought her gaze up to his face again. His eyes, a ferocious gold, stared into hers for a moment.  
  
Battousai pulled his shirt off. Kaoru stared. He tossed it onto an armchair and walked over to the door. He typed a series of numbers into the keypad. A lock clicked.  
  
"You cannot leave this apartment without the code, and those eight digits," He tapped his temple lightly with his finger. "Stay with me. The windows don't open, and they're barred anyway. The apartment is soundproof. Not to mention that we live in a building that is owned by my employer and it is solely inhabited by assassins such as myself. The phones, they're tapped." Kaoru got the message loud and clear: 'You're not getting out'.  
  
He noticed that she was suddenly glaring at him. Oh well, what difference did it make? It wasn't as if he cared how she felt about him one way or the other.  
  
"I'm taking a shower." He informed her shortly, striding over to a door on the far wall to Kaoru's left. As he opened the door, she finally asked him a question.  
  
"What's you name?" He paused for a moment, and looked at her hard. Finally, he decided to grace her with an answer.  
  
"Hitokiri Battousai." Battousai. So he was that guy – she remembered hearing her father yelling about an assassin with a cross-shaped scar on his cheek who he was sure would target him. He'd called him 'Battousai' repeatedly, and she'd thought it was a code.  
  
Kaoru looked at Battousai's left cheek suddenly. Where was the scar? Seeing her sudden scrutiny, Battousai smiled. He rubbed the back of his hand against his left cheek, smearing the stage makeup off.  
  
"Didn't see any reason not to - I wasn't assassinating anyone. And that scar is reserved only for that." Kaoru didn't understand his logic. Sure that the man had gone completely insane, she just nodded. He dissapeared into the bathroom, and after a ten-count, Kaoru heard water running.   
  
As soon as she was sure of what she heard, Kaoru got to her feet, and went into the kitchen. She saw what she wanted. The kidnapped girl took two knives, and put them in the waistband of her pants. Pulling her shirt carefully over them, she went back to the couch. Shaking like a leaf. She relaxed some, the couch was way to soft for it's own good. Then she happened to glance down at the front of her shirt. Kaoru took one look at the blood all over herself, and fainted dead away.  
  
A/N: You KNOW you want the next chapter! ^_- So you see that nifty little button down there? Yup, that one. Now, not the one all the way to the right, silly. More to the left.. right! Now, click on it. Very GOOD! Now review. Go on.. you can do it.. great! My day is complete! (Or. Ah. Night. ^-^')  
  
A/N:   
  
Daine: Thank you!  
  
NewYorkerBabe5287: Wow. I don't think you know how big of a compliment that is to me! Thank you!  
  
Nanikilover/Brukaoru: Thank you so much! ^-^  
  
LadyChrisA: Thank you! And this one is for you, anything with Kenshin on top, 'specially pleases, get my complete cooperation. *Grabs Kenshin by the hair as he tries to run away and smiles innocently.* Hee Hee!  
  
You KNOW you want the next chapter! ^_- So you see that nifty little button down there? Yup, that one. Now, not the one all the way to the right, silly. More to the left.. perfect! Now, click on it. Very GOOD! Now review. Go on.. you can do it.. great! My day is complete! (Or. Ah. Night. ^-^') 


	3. Chapter Three

DARK  
  
Chapter Three  
  
   
  
A/N: Sorry, this isn't going to be to long. I wrote it somewhere between Texas and Arkansas and I was TIRED when I did, so here. I just thought I'd update. Replies to reviewers below. Enjoy, and R&R!  
  
Okay.. hmm.. lesse.. Nope, nothing else to say. Please don't kill me, the next chapters get kinda longer. Really!!  
  
   
  
The washcloth was soft. Incredibly soft. Battousai scrubbed himself thoroughly with this disturbing cloth, removing as much of the blood as he could. Why was the washcloth so soft? It actually made him curious.  
  
As the scalding water ran on his chest, Battousai mused on his orders. He knew that as an assassin he was supposed to take orders, and shut up. But he had to wonder why they hadn't sent Sanosuke. The ruffian was much better suited to kidnapping. What made THIS bratty girl so special?  
  
He finished washing his ruby hair and turned the burning water off. Battousai made quick work of drying off and pulling a pair of gray sweatpants on.  
  
Opening the door, Battousai wasted no time in analyzing what was going on: Kaoru was unconscious on his couch, his phone was ringing, and some idiot with knuckles obviously made of metal or some sort of impervious material was pounding away at his door.  
  
"Shut UP!" He ordered the door in a dark tone. His 'soon-to-be-guest' stopped pounding instantly.   
  
Satisfied, Battousai jerked the phone out of the cradle and chirped his most charming greeting into the receiver. "WHAT?"  
  
He listened for the reply, irritable. This was not turning out to be a very good night for him. And it was almost 2 am.  
  
"I trust you were successful?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Was she harmed?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Bring the girl to the Katakena tomorrow. 3 O'clock. Understood?"  
  
"Yes." Battousai let the phone fall back onto it's cradle, and strolled to the door. He was much less tense now that everything was quiet.  
  
Typing the code in, Battousai heard the door click open. Without looking at his new guest, the assassin-turned-kidnapper picked Kaoru's limp form up. He carried her down a short hall and dropped her onto a waterbed.   
  
Spinning on his heel, Battousai closed the door and crossed his arms. He studied the white-clad man lounging on his couch - where Kaoru had been - through narrowed eyes.  
  
"It's late, Sano. Make it quick and then get out." He said shortly.  
  
   
  
Kaoru swam to consciousness as Battousai dropped her. She opened her eyes and watched him leave, disoriented. The door closed, leaving her in the dark.   
  
She heard Battousai's biting comment. 'Sano?' She thought, sitting straight up. 'Sagara?' She mused. Upon hearing his sarcastic reply, she knew.   
  
In a sudden burst of energy, Kaoru leapt from the bed and raced tot eh door. She jerked it open.  
  
   
  
"Hey, Kenshin. That's no way to talk to a friend who might be helping you out with your 'assignment'." Sano responded good-naturedly. He was the only person that called Battousai 'Kenshin' and lived.   
  
Battousai opened his mouth - and whirled when the door burst open.  
  
"Sanosuke!" A petite girl tackled the tall, brown-haired fighter.  
  
   
  
   
  
A/N: That's it. I told you it was short. But I needed a lame chapter to lead into my others. Really. This sad work has a reason. Lol. Now lemme go find the paper that I wrote my responses to all of my reviewers on...  
  
Kenshin: *Holds up yellow paper and waves it around.* "I've got it!"  
  
Dove: Gimme! *Tackle*  
  
Kenshin: *Dodges* Hee hee!  
  
Dove: GRRR!!  
  
******TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES******  
  
Dove: Okay, I'm back. *Sheathing katana* Had to fight for it, but I got the paper! *Holds up blood-covered yellow note-paper* Okay.  
  
Sassie- I know. J/k  
  
Angie-chan- Thank you!  
  
LadyChrisA- Yeah.. I like Battousai and Kaoru.. and I actually had a dream about this story. Cool but.. ah.. kinda creepy.. ^-^  
  
Nanikilover/Brukaoru- Wouldn't YOU? ^-^  
  
Ewunia- Please reread chapter three. I do not mention Kaoru in there at all.  
  
Reality- heh. Thank you.  
  
MysticGohan- thank you very much!  
  
LunaAngel-*laughing* Th-thank you! *Dresses in rubber coat, rubber shoes, rubber gloves, and hides in a rubber ball.* MWAHAHAHA! You'll never get me!!  
  
LadyChrisA- Oh my. That's actually a brilliant idea! ^-^  
  
Vanilla bean- thank you! I love leaving readers semi-speechless. ^-^  
  
Elven Mischief- Thank you.  
  
Evillaughingtalkingwall- Thank you. Hey, language is fun when it rubs off. And hysterical when you realize that it has. ^_-  
  
Anonymous- Thank you for your opinion. How about a compromise. Since a lot of people seem to enjoy reading them, only you seem to have a complaint, how about every time I post a tension-breaker, I'll also post the next chapter?  
  
Native Cash- Heh. Onwarded!  
  
Midoriko- *trying not to drool on the keyboard* Good idea..  
  
Kurokomo- *Looks slightly worried* Are you okay? ^-^  
  
Baka-Ryu- I love your name. Idiot Style. Lol. Thank you, I'm glad you think so. ^-^  
  
   
  
Thank you for all of the reviews, and if you want chapter four.. Write-some-more!! (Coulda been a cheerleader. Evil mom not letting my try out.. *Walks off muttering*) bring the count up to 30 reviews for chapter four! 


	4. Chapter Four

Dark  
  
Chapter Four  
  
A/N: Hey, y'all. If you see something about 'knives' here, and you're confused, reread chapter 2, I fixed it. Hope you're enjoying yourselves! I'm so happy to have this fic back up. I'll let you all in on a little secret. I was on vacation, when I found that this had been deleted. And I'll tell ya, it ruined the rest of my vacation. Not to mention the fact that I burst into tears when I read it. So, whoever did it the first time, PLEASE don't do it again. *Mutter* Or I'll have to come after you with MY Katana, and it isn't a reverse blade! *Cough.* *Innocent look.*  
  
Sanosuke finally managed to disengage the ebony-haired girl from around his throat.  
  
"Uh.. hi, Missy." He mumbled. Battousai was not in a good mood to begin with. This didn't help. He, almost sulkily, crossed his arms.  
  
"You know each other." Suddenly they were both blushing. Sano rubbed the back of his neck, at a loss for words.  
  
"Sano used to baby sit me." Kaoru informed her captor shamelessly. Sano waved his arms around frantically all of the sudden, trying to stop her. She ignored him completely. "He worked with this little babysitting group – Sekihoutai Childcare."   
  
No reaction.  
  
Bland face.  
  
"They were disbanded when their leader was accused of stealing from the houses and their reputation was tarnished."  
  
Battousai glared with no reaction for a moment – and then did something totally unexpected.  
  
He started to laugh.  
  
Not a little chuckle or a derisive snort, but a huge, real, belly-laugh.  
  
Both stared in utter shock. Sano because he'd never heard Kenshin actually laugh like that before, and Kaoru for the same reason, as well as the fact that she'd suddenly noticed that he looked kinda.. handsome.. with his hair down. It made him look less rigid and mean. Until one saw his golden eyes, of course.  
  
Battousai was on the floor now, rolling around in pure, utter glee. He looked up at them, and the two amused parties (Actually, Kaoru found it kinda funny, Sano did not find it in any way humurous) realized with varying degrees of shock that his eyes were not amber, but instead a soft, lupine violet.  
  
His voice was even different. Kinder. Happier. Kaoru was shocked, Sano was but to a lesser extent.  
  
"Sekihoutai CHILDCARE?" He choked on more laughter. "Sano – you told me that was the name of your street gang! That you did!" Suddenly, Kaoru realzied what was so funny, and couldn't help but giggle softly.  
  
It was as though he was coming out of a dream. Battousai swam back to this surface, and everything changed as though a switch had been thrown.  
  
Before Kaoru's stunned eyes, his features hardened and his eyes faded back into gold. Even his stance differed. Kaoru wasn't any sort of Ki-reader, but even she felt the palpable change in the strawberry-haired assassin's.  
  
Battousai glared at her, and was somewhat surprised when she returned his look. After a few moments of the chilly silence, Battousai posed one of his crisp, almost-questions.  
  
"Why were you unconcious on the couch?" Sanosuke fielded that one, he'd seen the blood on her face and clothing after peeling her off of him.  
  
"Missy has this thing about blood. It kinda makes her faint." He informed and glaring red-head.  
  
Kaoru watched with an odd facination as the eyes swung back to her.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me." She almost admired his ability to make a question into a statement.  
  
"Didn't give me much of a choice." She pointed out airily. He merely shrugged, admitting to and dismissing the fact all at once.  
  
He gave a lazy wave toward the bathroom, inviting her wordlessly to use it. She didn't move.  
  
"I'll need new clothes."  
  
"And I'll find you some. Go." She did as ordered, closing the door softly. An added click indicated that she'd locked the door. Battousai almost smirked – he had a key. But he decided to allow her that added sense of security. As though he'd go in there while she was taking a shower or something!  
  
"So. Sano. Got anything to fit her?" He said almost jokingly. To his surprise, Sano reached behind the couch and threw a bag at him. Battousai caught it quickly. He opened it, curious.   
  
Inside it he saw a hooded sweatshirt, a cotton tanktop, and sweatpants.  
  
"You anticipated this, didn't you?"  
  
"Yup. I heard about your orders, and I know how you tend to leave blood wherever you go." Battousai gave Sano a dirty look. He dropped the bag on the door knob, informing Kaoru curtly.  
  
A few seconds later, Kaoru reached out and took the bag off, closing the door firmly.  
  
She considered her options. Finally, she decided to keep the smaller knife in the elastic of the pants and the larger one in the front pocket of the sweatshirt.  
  
A few minutes after that important decision, Kaoru came out. The blood was gone from her cheeks and hands. She wore the new clothing.  
  
"What time is – what?" They were both staring at her. She planted her hands on her hips, annoyed. "WHAT are you two staring at, exactly?" She threatened, more than asked. Battousai blinked, surprised at the way she'd spoken to them as though they were in HER house or something. He gave her his scariest look. She gulped, but did not change her stance, or her glare. Sano chuckled.  
  
"Uh.. you clean up pretty." She wasn't there anymore. Suddenly, her fist smashed into the top of Sano's head.  
  
"Grr."  
  
"How do you DO that." He wondered. She flipped her hair over her shoulder airily, spraying him with water, and stalked into the bedroom. She slammed the door behind her and that was that.  
  
What Sano didn't say was that she was WAY to thin and pale. Without the makeup on her face, her pallor was clearly visible. And the way the clothes hung off of her suggested that she might be sick.  
  
"You can stay, if you want." Battousai growled and walked out of the room.  
  
"Nah, I don't think I will." Sano informed the ever-attentive bookcase. He stood, opened the door, and left. Battousai hadn't bothered to put the code back on.   
  
Ten minutes after Sano left, Battousai came back out and typed the key-numbers to lock the door. Then he leaned against the wall next to the door of the room Kaoru was in and went to sleep.  
  
A/N: I really hope that you all liked it, I'm starting to get into the real plot. Promise. And yes, it's still a romance. Um.. 46 reviews for chapter 5! ^_- Oh yeah, and a little poll. Okay, just somewhere in your review, put:  
  
A – if you want the filler chapter to be every two chapters  
  
B – if you want the filler chapter to be every four chapters  
  
C – if you don't want a filler chapter at all  
  
I aim to please! ^-^  
  
Okay. Some responses.. *Looks around for the paper.* KENSHIN!  
  
Kenshin: Yeeesss?  
  
Dove: Where is it?  
  
Kenshin: Where is what?  
  
Dove: The. Paper.  
  
Kenshin: *Enjoying himself* What paper?  
  
Dove: You have it, don't you?  
  
Sano: Hey, Kenshin, what do you want me to do with that paper I nicked from Dove-ch.. oops.  
  
Dove: *Tackles Sano* GIVE ME THAT!  
  
**Some Bloodshed Later**  
  
Dove: Okay then! Here we go..  
  
Ann – Here you are, and thank you!  
  
Midoriko – Heh. Thank you, you're welcome. ^-^ *Amused* Um.. please be careful not to ruin the carpet with your tears, my friend. ^_-  
  
Moonblossom – Of course I'm not mad! Good idea, so I made that poll. I don't have any problem with a well-thought-out request. ^_- Thank you for the review!  
  
Pidge – Thanks  
  
Kiyara – Thank you so very much! Two reviews in a row, I'm so pleased! I love your name, too, it's very pretty.  
  
Kurokumo – Oh my. I'm SO SORRY. I didn't mean to spell your name wrong, a thousand apologies. Does this make it better? *Holds out offering of cheesecake*  
  
Zacola – Wow, thank you! Triple review, I'm very happy. ^-^ *Dances the happy dance* Of course I don't just leave stuff. I'm to obsessive. So here you go. Heh.  
  
LunaAngel – I'm glad you liked that part, I've always wanted to see Kaoru tackle Sano. ^_-  
  
Daine - *Blushes bright red* Oh.. Um.. Well. Thank you. You're too kind!  
  
Baka-Ryu – Lol. AGAIN WITH THE KENSHIN THING! ARRGGHH! You need to stop doing that – that smile turns me into an eager to please pile of mush! *sigh*  
  
Thank you everyone for reading, and I'm SOOO sorry it took me so long, but I've been really busy. Remember, 46 reviews for chapter 5. 


	5. Chapter Five

Dark  
  
Chapter Five  
  
A/N: Wow. 56 reviews. I can't believe that you people are actually so into this story that you're willing to meet and exceed my 'review requirements'. Heh.  
  
Kenshin: Why, I will never know. *Innocent Rurouni smile.*  
  
Dove: *Thoinks him over the head* You're getting awfully mean, mr-jump-at-hiko-to-hug-him-because-he's-alive-and-then-let-him-dodge-so-you-smash-head-first-into-a-shelf.  
  
Kenshin: Just HAD to bring THAT up.  
  
**As a thank you to everyone who's put up with my oh-so-short chapters so far, here's a really really long and revealing chapter!**  
  
Kaoru woke up and for a moment had the unsettling moment of confusion that normally accompanies waking up in a friend's house after spending the night. Of course, when she thought about it, she was not in a friend's house nor had she spent the night.   
  
Everything came back to her in a rush of emotions, followed by a slight nausea. She rolled over on the bed, and stared at the clock. It took a full 15 seconds for the numbers to register in her fogged brain. Seven-thirty. WONDERFUL.  
  
The 17-year-old rolled to her feet. She smoothed out the covers – sleeping in a killer's bed was not on her to-do list, so she'd flopped on top of the blankets.  
  
"So you're up." That same deep, emotionless, controlled voice. Kaoru let out a series of incomprehensible grunts. Battousai smirked, somewhat amused. "Well, hurry up. Breakfast is ready." He did a sharp about-face and swiftly set out two plates. He put scrambled eggs, toast, ham, and one apple (peeled and sliced) on each.  
  
He turned, and froze. And then almost laughed. Kaoru's hair had dried a complete mass of unruly curls. She had somewhat glazed eyes, and her lips were dry. All-in-all, she looked like the almost-living dead.  
  
"Perhaps you should freshen up." She snorted at him, and dissapeared into the bathroom. There was a sound of running water, and then she came out with a much more alert look, her features smoother and her lips more normal-looking. Battousai just looked at her, and continued setting out the plates.   
  
While she waited, Kaoru walked over to the rack on the wall. It really was a work of art.  
  
It was made of a tough wood. She guessed oak, but wasn't willing to bet her life on it. It had intricate, interlocking designs of different things. Vines, Kanji and Katakana symbols, and dragons made up the majority of the design. The swords were just as beautiful. It was strange, the awe and admiration that these weapons of mass-murder produced.   
  
The cold steel of the knife against her waist reminded her of her own 'weapon of mass-murder'. She was going to have to time her attack carefully. Very, very carefully.  
  
Kaoru reached out, curious. She touched the hilt of the Sakabatou in a feather-light caress.  
  
Battousai turned once more, just in time to see her, with an expression of pure curiosity, reach out and brush her fingers gently across the hilt of his sword. He moved so fast that if Kaoru had been looking she probably would have been stunned into complete immobility.  
  
His fingers closed roughly about her wrist, and jerked her hand away.  
  
"Don't touch those." He snarled. Kaoru stared at him in sudden surprise, and some fear. She nodded slowly and he released her.  
  
"I.. I didn't mean to-" He waved a hand at her, and walked back to the table. He took a seat, and waited for her.  
  
Kaoru was still somewhat shocked – his hand had come from NOWHERE! She watched him sit, and saw him staring at her.  
  
"Are you going to eat?" He growled. Kaoru considered. She was hungry, and that did look good..  
  
"Are you nuts? You kidnapped me! I'm not going to eat anything you make!" She snapped defiantly. Battousai shrugged, appearing not to care while inwardly wondering how long her thin frame would allow her to stick to that resolution. It was already obvious that she was hungry.  
  
She leaned against the wall. He ate quickly and firmly, as though daring the food to come to life and attack him. She almost wished it would. At least it would be something to watch.  
  
Battousai finished, and washed the dishes with no hurry at all in his movements. That done, he looked at Kaoru.  
  
Who, did the unthinkable. She looked right back at him without flinching.  
  
Battousai headed to the bathroom.  
  
"I'm taking a shower."  
  
"Obsessive compulsive?" She grumbled.  
  
"What was that." Another 'question'.  
  
"You took one last night."  
  
"So?" Wow, he actually asked that one like a question. Kaoru was impressed.  
  
"Whatever." He headed into the bathroom. After she was sure of the sounds of water running, she pulled the large knife out from her pocket. It was time to put her plan into action.  
  
Battousai finished his ritual morning shower quickly. He dressed in a pair of jeans and a comfortable gray t-shirt. After pulling his hair up into it's usual high ponytail, he opened the door and stepped out.  
  
Battousai knew something was off the instant he stepped out of the bathroom. Had he been even an instant slower, he would have had a kitchen knife buried up to the hilt in his shoulder.   
  
For a little girl, she had a lot of power in her swing. And control. After trying to stab him like that, he knew quite a few grown men that had fallen. He glared down at her, and reached for the blade. Her eyes had an oddly dangerous gleam.   
  
She swung again, and a thin line of blood sprang up in his palm. He looked at his own bleeding hand, and smiled.   
  
Kaoru blinked. Why was he smi- where was he? She blinked again, and in that moment he appeared behind her at a speed worthy of the gods. In mere seconds, he had twisted the knife out of her hand, and had it at her throat, her body pressed against his own.  
  
"Let me go, you loathsome KIDNAPPER." She snarled. Battousai just tightened his grip, dragging the blade gently along her jawline. She twitched a bit, but Battousai could tell that she was angry, more than she was afraid.  
  
"Aren't you afraid that I will kill you?" He asked, honestly curious.  
  
"No. I'm going to die anyway." Her voice was slightly strained. Kaoru reached for the knife she had hidden in her waistband as she spoke. Battousai wondered about her words for a measly two seconds before something sharp went into his side.   
  
He gave a sudden – very rare – yelp of surprise, letting Kaoru go. She whirled around, stepping back some. He blinked down with some surprise at the blade sticking about two inches into his side. One inch to the left, and it would have pierced an organ.   
  
She was shaking, shocked at the blood on her hands.   
  
That she'd drawn.  
  
"Pretty impressive. Why didn't you kill me? You could have. I felt the blade brush me, and then it moved over before plunging."  
  
"Why didn't YOU dodge?" She retorted, still shaking. Her skin was even paler than usual, if that was possible. He shrugged, and pulled the knife out of his side. Kaoru was trying to figure out why he was not angry. And then she very suddenly felt the knife at her throat once more.  
  
"Any more hidden suprises?" She felt pain as the blade dug lightly into her flesh, just shy of cutting. She considered shaking her head, but realized that the action would cut her own throat.  
  
"No."  
  
"Good." Suddenly, he picked her up by the waist, turned, and opened a door behind him. He pushed. Kaoru tumbled into the bedroom.  
  
She hit the ground, bounced, and flipped over. She sat up, dazed.  
  
"If you ever try that again, I will kill you." His voice was very soft, and very harsh.  
  
"Um. Okay." She said, for lack of anything better. Her blue eyes made the mistake of finding their way to his gold ones. They fairly burned with anger. Perhaps she would have had it easier NOT trying to escape.   
  
She saw the blood running freely from where she'd stabbed him. And suddenly felt as though she'd stabbed herself. Kaoru looked back up into his Amber eyes, suddenly feeling real, pure fear for the first time. And even stronger than the fear was the shame.  
  
Battousai quirked an eyebrow. She looked oddly remorseful. He turned to go, closing the door. Just before he could completely shut the door, he heard something so faint he wasn't sure if it was supposed to reach his ears.  
  
"I'm Sorry."  
  
After he left the room, Battousai made quick work of cleaning and bandaging the wound. It really wasn't all that bad. He'd had to put two stitches in, that was all.   
  
In all honesty, he hadn't dodged because he'd wanted to see if this little creature was brave enough to stab him. Apparently she was. He pulled on a new gray shirt. After sitting alone in the livingroom for a few hours, he stood and went to the door of the bedroom.  
  
He paused with his hand on the doorknob, and listened. He heard a very gentle, soft voice. It was Kaoru, singing. He listened.  
  
"If elephants could fly, I'd be a little more optimistic.  
  
But I don't see that happening any time soon!  
  
I don't mean to sound,  
  
So pessimistic,  
  
But I don't think that cow,  
  
Really jumped over the moon.  
  
When will I wake up?  
  
Why did we break up?  
  
When will we make up?  
  
When,   
  
money grows on trees,  
  
people live in peace,  
  
everyone agrees.  
  
When,  
  
Happiness is free,  
  
Love can guarantee,  
  
You'll come back to me.  
  
That's, when."  
  
Battousai opened the door. Kaoru's voice went silent. She stared at him.  
  
She was in the corner, arms wrapped around her legs. Her eyes were wide, and impossibly innocent. She was rocking slowly. The blood on her hands had long since dried.  
  
"You can come out." He growled at her. And was somewhat surprised when she winced at his tone. That was how he usually spoke to her, was it not?  
  
"Okay." Something in her tone was different.  
  
"Kaoru?" She shook her head slowly, almost chipperly.  
  
"Nooo." She dragged the word out like a child.  
  
"What do you mean, no?" She stood, her arms were loose and bouncy like a little girl's.  
  
"My name is-" She choked off her own words. She stared at him for a long moment. And then her eyes took on a different, less innocent quality. "Nothing. Just kidding." He was slightly confused. Her eyes were odd. First, they were as they were at that moment. And then they were totally homicidal. And then they were as innocent and open as an eight-year-old's. Something was off about her.  
  
Kaoru slipped past him, and went into the livingroom. She sat primly on the couch, where she'd been when she'd first woken up as a Battousai's prisioner.  
  
He followed her out, and stared at her long and hard. Her cheeks steadily turned red under his gaze. She wouldn't meet his eyes.  
  
"You're not normal." He announced finally. She didn't respond, hoping he'd let it drop. Unfortunatly, he was not that kind of person. "Tell me."  
  
"No."  
  
"Tell me, now."  
  
"Or what?" Battousai considered. He was still not supposed to actually hurt her.. what would a girl her age be upset by?  
  
"I'll cut your hair." He threatened. Kaoru met his gaze fiercly.  
  
"Go ahead." He sighed.  
  
"Just tell me. If you do, I'll consider us even for you stabbing me." She stared at him hard.  
  
"No lie?"  
  
"No lie. Answer my question, and you never stabbed me." Kaoru was a bit unsettled by the fact that Battousai was willing to bargain. But she took his offer.  
  
"Okay." He waited, patient. Very, very, annoyingly patient. She sighed. "I have DID." She grumbled. He waited. "It's Disassociative Identity Disorder," She explained. "It means that there's more than one of me in my head. Basically, I'm crazy. At least, that's how it's been described. Most of the reported cases are just attention-seekers. Each personality differs, and they have different names. There's no medication for it, mostly just anti-depressants. My personalities tend to protect me when I'm upset, angry, or afraid. Are you happy now?" Her voice had gotten noticably more tense as she'd spoken.  
  
Battousai had not moved throughout her entire speech. He did not miss the bitterness that crept into her tone. She did, at the same time, seem to be in the mood to answer one more question.  
  
"Why are you so thin – why did you say what you did, about how you are going to die anyway?" He made sure to ask this as a question.  
  
Kaoru stared at him. Underneath that exterior of a cold-hearted jerk, there was an annoying, curious jerk. But it was almost funny. And she had nothing better to do than answer his questions.  
  
"I have Leukemia, Battousai." She said softly, her voice more defeated than angry. "That was why I ended up having Multiple Personalities. I had a panic attack when the doctor told me and instead of passing out I went into a totally different person. I'm very good at denial, you see. The cancer is in my bone marrow."  
  
"Well, just get a replacement." He said haughtily. Her voice was even weaker,  
  
"I can't. First, because I'm here. Second, because my blood type is O-negative and no one with that blood type has come forward. We tried my father, who was AB, since O is supposed to be universal. But it didn't take. It was very painful, when my body rejected the marrow." Her voice was very, very tiny. She seemed to shrink.  
  
Battousai had a crazy image of a leprechaun-Kaoru sitting on the couch.  
  
They sat in silence. It was going to be a long. Long. LONG Day.  
  
"HURRY UP!" Battousai shouted. Kaoru mumbled under her breath and stomped out. She'd finally worked all of the tangles and knots out of her hair after a two-hour argument, and she'd stolen one of Battousai's elastic bands."Took you long enough." He growled, and hauled her out the door by the arm. She winced.  
  
That was going to bruise. She was very bruisable. Already, every phsyical encounter they'd had in the past hours had come back in all of their glory as bruises on Kaoru's porcelain skin.  
  
He pulled her down a lot of stairs. She tried to count and gave up at two-hundred. Battousai opened the passenger door to a red Thunderbird and waited. Kaoru slid in, wishing that Sano had not gone back to his apartment last night/that morning. At least he didn't glare so much.  
  
Battousai drove quickly, but with the same grace he did everything else with. They arrived at the building in one piece.  
  
Kaoru got up, and stared at the sign. 'Katakena Gentlemen's Club'. That wasn't good. She felt Battousai's hand latch onto her arm, thumb gently pressed just above her elbow. It was a pressure point – even the slightest application of pressure would bring her to the ground. And she knew it. And oddly enough, she was grateful for it. If he had a hand on her arm, he would be able to make sure no 'gentlemen' in there tried to mess with her. She hoped. Fervently.  
  
"Why are we here?" She asked Battousai. Her tone suggested that life would get a lot harder if he didn't reply.  
  
"The Katakena is one of my employer's favorite meeting places. Just be quiet and stick close. The people will leave you alone. The man I work for always reserves a private room. Come on." Kaoru complied, following closely.  
  
They almost made it to the room where Battousai's boss waited with no incident. Almost, but not quite. After all, why have a meeting at a place where the less the women wore the better if nothing was supposed to happen? There's always one very drunk idiot at a place with alcohol. It's a given.  
  
A rough hand encircled Kaoru's wrist from behind and she found herself pulled forcibly away from Battousai and into some large idiot's arms. A very drunk large idiot. Said idiot tightened his grip. She winced – another bruise. Great.  
  
However, the Kamiya family did not breed helpless little girls. Kaoru twisted her right wrist – that the meaty hand was gripping. Now he was at her mercy. She jerked hard, bringing the tequila-filled man onto her knee. She sunk it very hard into his solar plexis. When he fell to the ground gasping, coughing and wheezing she pronounced him taken care of.  
  
Battousai was somewhat impressed with her quick reaction. Unfortunatly, she'd just dropped an assassin. And plastered or not, an assassin still has his reflexes drilled in.  
  
For lack of anyone safer, Kaoru went back to Battousai. She dared not look at anything but his eyes. They were safe, odd to use that word in reference to the molten gold orbs. But they calmed her, made her feel as though he was going to protect her. She really hoped he would. He was a very steady presence.  
  
Something very suddenly grabbed her from behind. Beefy fingers caused severe pain as they pressed two different pressure points on the left side of her neck as an arm wrapped around her waist.  
  
Kaoru struggled to no avail.  
  
When all else fails: Do the chick-fight thing.  
  
Kaoru dug the fingernails of her right hand into the arm around her waist, and the fingernails of her left hand into the hand at her throat. He would have the scars for the rest of his life.  
  
"Come on now, precious." He whispered in her ear. His breath had a cloying odor of alcohol that made her gag. Kaoru tried to shrink away, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "Lets have a little fun. You wanna-"  
  
"No." Kaoru interrupted his lewd suggestion defiantly.  
  
"Aw, but I want us to have a little fun.."  
  
"I don't." She retorted.  
  
It happened to fast for her to comprehend for a few seconds.  
  
A thin hand flashed through her vision, and the hand at her throat was knocked away. It flashed by again, and the hand at her waist released. Everything happened in a blur, leaving Kaoru amazed.  
  
First, she was in some disgusting man's way-to-drunk arms and suddenly she was in Battousai's much more comfortable arms. He released her, and then stepped in front of her.  
  
"What, exactly, is your problem you animalistic, stupid, drunk?" He asked, voice low and very deadly. Almost silky, Kaoru mused. The crowd had long since backed away. She started to back away, but Battousai looked at her and from the glint of his eyes it was obvious that she was not to move. So she didn't.  
  
Battousai strode calmly forward, seeming bored. And then he delivered a fantastic right cross to the man's face.  
  
The opponent went sprawling. Battousai waited, impassive. The heavy-set man stood, breathing hard.  
  
Battousai delivered an unrestrained, spinning, roundhouse kick to his face. Standing over the man's prone body, Battousai spoke in a soft voice that was heard clearly in the absolute silence.  
  
"That girl is my assignment. If you touch her again, Gohei, I will kill you." That was all he said. But the meaning rung painfully clear to all present. 'Gohei, messing with my girl is really quite bad for your health.' Well, it rung clear to everyone but the aforementioned 'girl'. And then he spun gracefully on his heel, and went back to Kaoru. He draped an arm casually around her shoulders, and led her through the crowd. Anyone in their way scrambled to correct that mistake and the crowd quickly parted.  
  
Whispers of 'Are you NUTS, Hiruma?' could be heard throughout the crowd.  
  
"Let me see your wrist." Kaoru complied, still stunned. He looked at the bruises.  
  
"Why didn't I notice how easily you bruise before."  
  
"Because I hid the fact. Most of the bruises can be hidden in my sleeves, or the neck of my shirt, or just under the clothes." She admitted. "And not EVERY little thing bruises me." She added defensivly. Battousai snorted.  
  
"Right."  
  
They reached the back room in no time. They entered, and a tall man stood. He looked them up and down for a moment, and then said in calm, 'I'm going to take my time, and you can't do anything about it' tone,  
  
"Hello, Miss Kamiya. I'm the man who employ's the man standing next to you. My name is Hiko Seijuro."  
  
A/N: HA! Ten pages. This is my longest chapter yet. I'm sooo proud. Really. Um.. 62 reviews for chapter six. Please correct me on anything you want, I wasn't SURE about the bruising being a symptom of leukemia, but I read somewhere that it was. If anyone thinks otherwise, please feel free to tell me. I want to keep it accurate. Please don't worry about me getting mad or anything. About the DID/MPD.. I thought it might be intresting to see Kaoru having different personalities. And if anyone is wondering why she didn't go into a different personality when she was attacked by Gohei, it's because she reacted on instinct and didn't need any sort of 'protection' or 'help'. And yes, I have a reason for using Gohei Hiruma. Alright, not much else to babble about. Thank you, for everyone that has stuck with me so far! (In the story, as well as the author notes. ^_-)  
  
Kenshin: Kami-sama only knows why.  
  
Dove: *Sniffle* YOU'RE SO MEEAAANNN! *Steals Kenshin's Sakabatou and runs off.*  
  
Kenshin: HEY! *Chases*  
  
Dove: *Three miles later* Still got the.. *cough* *hack* *falls over*  
  
Kenshin: *catches up and steals his sword back.* I'm glad she doesn't have THAT much in the way of endurance.  
  
Dove: *Latches onto his ankle.*  
  
Kenshin: AAAHHHH! *Hops around frantically*  
  
Dove: *Holds on with deathgrip*  
  
Sano: *Recording everything for future use.*  
  
Kaoru: I'm not reading 'em. You read 'em.  
  
Yahiko: Ugly.  
  
I can't believe the response I got to my poll!  
  
Pidge – Thank you, for the review. However, I don't mean scalding in any literal bye-bye skin sense. ^-^  
  
Midoriko - *poke* Um..try not to drool on my carpet, kay? I like my carpet. *Sticks pillow under head*  
  
CurlsofSerenity – Hey, curls. Thanks for the tip, but it was 'reported' and then deleted by FF.net  
  
Nanikilover/Brukaoru – I got MORE than enough reviews. I'm still shocked at the reception this story has gotten!  
  
Faerie-chan – I'm glad you liked it. I almost died from a giggle-fit while I was writing it. ^-^  
  
M.P. Neidhardt – Ugghhh.. Cherries. I like cherries. *cries* But I can't give you Kenshin, 'cause.. I.. I LOVE HIM MORE THAN CHERRIES! MWAHAHAHAHA! *runs away* Oh, yeah, and a rude 'what' would probably never be heard by Kenshin.. is he even CAPABLE of being rude lol. Marshmellow sedatives. They came to me in the middle of the night.  
  
Koniko-chan – You like?  
  
Nanie – Don't worry, It's supposed to be funny. I've been trying to find the funny. Lol.  
  
Amanda H. – Thank you very much! Alright. I'll just have to keep up my evil little author's notes, hmm? I have a really nifty one planned, 'Almost-Death of Hiko' ^-^  
  
LunaAngel - *Laughs until realization that Battousai has been kidnapped sets in* GET BACK HERE!!  
  
Tyonna – Heh. Thank you!  
  
MysticGohan – Thank you very much! ^-^  
  
Daine – Lol. No offense taken. Yeah, don't ya just love it? ^-^  
  
Chai girl – Thank you!  
  
Emilie - Okay, thank you!  
  
I'm still totally shocked. Thanks, everyone! ^-^ 


	6. Chapter Six

Dark  
  
   
  
Chapter Six  
  
   
  
A/N: Woah. I can't believe it. I put chapter five up, and 3 hours later I had 64 reviews! I'm totally shocked! I can't believe the fantastic feedback I've been getting for this story!! I love ff.net now! Heh! This one isn't to long.. but I'm still recovering from chapter 5! It took me at least 5 or 6 hours to write! (How sad..)  
  
   
  
Kaoru did not reply to Hiko. She stood rubbing her neck and staring at the ground. Finally, she lifted her eyes. His hair was a nice green color. His long mane was pulled back into a low ponytail and tied at the nape of his neck. Kaoru was amused to see that he had two dangling pieces of hair framing his face, sort of like her own.  
  
   
  
The tall man wore a huge trench coat. It was white with a red lining - the shoulder pads stuck out so far that they looked like spikes! Kaoru finally formulated a response.  
  
   
  
"Hello, Hiko Seijuro. I'm the girl your assassin guy kidnapped. And I want to know why."  
  
   
  
He was amused. She wasted no time. Much like the man standing next to her.  
  
   
  
"Tell me what you know." He said pleasantly.  
  
   
  
"Battousai came to my father's mansion, killed 14+ people, chased me down, kidnapped me, and then brought me here." Two days laid out in a whole 8 seconds.  
  
   
  
"Battousai? Oh my. You didn't even tell her your real name?" Battousai sighed, giving Hiko and annoyed glare. Then Kaoru felt his eyes on her.  
  
   
  
"Kenshin."  
  
   
  
"AND?"  
  
   
  
"Himura. WHAT does my real name have to do with ANYTHING, Hiko?"  
  
   
  
"Nothing at all. I just figured that the nice girl would like to know it." Kaoru snorted. She turned back to Hiko, without responding to Kenshin's name. It was going to be hard to call him that - it sounded a lot more innocent than Battousai.  
  
   
  
"That's all well and good, Mr. I-employ-a-murderer. But how about you tell me WHY now?"  
  
   
  
"Take a seat, this might take a while." Kaoru took a seat on one of the high-backed chairs. Kenshin sat next to her. She glared at Hiko.  
  
   
  
Battousai examined her out of the corner of his eye. She certainly was brave, glaring at that man in such a manner. If Hiko was able to employ someone like him, wouldn't she figure that he had to be pretty deadly, as well? Either she was really, really stupid or quite brave. He was willing to bet on choice two. She'd shown herself not to be a helpless child just minutes before. Oops, Hiko's talking.  
  
   
  
"First of all, my sincerest apologies for the ill-timed kidnapping. I hear you're celebrating your 18th birthday today?"  
  
   
  
"None of your business. TALK." Kaoru was getting annoyed, and it was easy to see. He was being so fake.  
  
   
  
"Fine. Your father, Miss Kamiya, is quite possibly one of the highest enemies of the Syndicate."  
  
   
  
"Huh?"  
  
   
  
"He's made quite a few enemies, turning in our operatives, and the like."  
  
   
  
"So why not just kill him?"  
  
   
  
"Because it would be much to obvious. If suddenly the man who'd been causing the syndicate all of this trouble were to turn up dead - We'd have one heck of a trial on or hands if we were ever caught. And then there's this whole thing about it being 'illegal' to kill someone. You know." Kaoru was not amused.  
  
   
  
"So you kidnapped me WHY?"  
  
   
  
"Because you are useful to us."  
  
   
  
"How."  
  
   
  
"If your father knows we have you, he will not turn in any more operatives, and life will get so much easier." There was a knock at the door. "Enter." A young man entered. He had extremely spiky black hair, and he wore a yellow t-shirt and green pants. His brown eyes were amused.  
  
   
  
"Sir. I just received word that another three operatives have been captured. Turned in by Koshijirou Kamiya." Hiko's jaw dropped. His red eyes widened in shock.  
  
   
  
"But.. that means.." Kaoru's voice was bland.  
  
   
  
"He doesn't ACTUALLY care about me. Or did your information fail to mention that? My birth killed my mother. He hates me. He taught me some of the moves of the Kamiya Kasshim style to save face. And those guards? Little more than hired thugs. To save face. That man never actually cared about me, my father doesn't care if I live or die." Kaoru's voice stayed oddly steady throughout her entire speech. Her eyes filled with tears, but she did not allow any to fall, she just blinked them away and leveled her gaze on Hiko.  
  
   
  
The boy chuckled. "Hello. I'm Yahiko." He strolled on out, taking his own sweet time.  
  
   
  
"Then that leaves me no choice. I'm sorry Miss Kaoru, but I'm going to have to send you home. In a box. Yes, bad cliché, I know. But true." He drew a short sword from a hidden sheath. Kaoru didn't move. 'Huh. Aren't I supposed to be having crazy thoughts like, 'is this it?' and forgiving people and stuff? How odd.' "Ken- Battousai. Kill her." He tossed the sword to Battousai, who caught it, and looked at it with the strangest expression.  
  
He stood, and gazed down at the girl in front of him. She was still sitting.  
  
   
  
Battousai lifted the sword up to swing. A little voice in the back of his mind shouted.   
  
   
  
'Stop you IDIOT! Do you realize what you're doing? Those thoughts you were having earlier - those were not me! Those were you!'   
  
   
  
'Shut up.' He thought harshly. The voice quieted as he readied his swing.  
  
   
  
Battousai swung hard and true, directly for her throat.  
  
   
  
At the last minute, he adjusted his swing and the sword barely grazed Kaoru's cheek. Rather than spin himself onto his butt, he released the sword and it flew into a wall. The momentum behind it caused the sword to imbed up to it's hilt.  
  
   
  
"Mr. Seijuro, I have a request."  
  
   
  
"Yes?" Even though his favorite assassin had just disobeyed his direct orders, his tone was still quite amiable.  
  
   
  
"Can I have her?" Kaoru stared at him.  
  
   
  
"I thought you didn't like wordly pleasures." Battousai glared at him. "Let me think about it."  
  
   
  
Minutes ticked by loudly.  
  
   
  
Finally Hiko sat up and nodded. "Alright, Battousai. She is yours. But if she comes between you and your work, you both die."  
  
   
  
'What am I DOING?' He wondered.  
  
   
  
"Agreed."  
  
   
  
And that was it.  
  
   
  
A/N: Yes. I, the official president of the 'Kill All Romance' club am starting to write romance. *shudder* I can't believe it..  
  
Kenshin: I'm sure that it'll suck.  
  
Dove: Geez Kenshin! You're supposed to be polite and stuff! What's this? *Holds up package*  
  
Kenshin: *shrug*  
  
Dove: *Opens it and sees video tape. Puts it into the VCR* I'm a little scared.. it's from some guy named 'Not Sano'. Hmmm.  
  
Video Tape: *Plays the entire scene of Kenshin trying to get Dove-chan off of his leg, and her sinking her fangs into his thigh.*  
  
Dove: Where. Is. Sano? *growl*  
  
Sano: *Smiles innocently* My turn to read! *Skillfully avoiding Dove-chan's strangling hands*  
  
Moonblossom – Heh. Good idea. Maybe. Reread the very end of chapter 2, I changed it and added the procurement of the knives. ^-^  
  
CurlsofSerenity – Thank you! I'm glad you like it. I've decided that instead of filler chapters that's what I'm going to do. ^-^  
  
Daine – Lol. Thank you. Someone else gave me the idea, but I loved it so much I couldn't help it! The idea is totally thanks to 'The Weird One'. ^-^  
  
Yuki – Don't worry, I didn't go in-depth with Sekihoutai because I'm planning on bringing that into the story a bit later. Thank you for telling me what you thought, though. I'll remember that, when I bring the babysitting thing in.  
  
Kurokumo – Good, 'cause knowing me I'll probably do it again. *stares at the wall* Why are you looking at the wall?  
  
Jenny – thank you! ^-^  
  
Midoriko - *Smile* I hope you and Aoshi-san have lots of fun together. *Sideways look* Wouldn't want that to happen.. *grin* Don't worry about the carpet, I'm installing a new one soon! ^_-  
  
Okay. 76 reviews for chapter seven. I'll bet y'all can't reach that! *Issues challenge with evil grin* I'm going to post one last 'goodbye' kinda filler chapter. But it's only because the filler is vital to the real chapter 7. The filler and chapter 7 will be posted at the same time, don't worry. ^-^ And then, due to the OVERWHELMING amount of 'no more!' reviews that I received, I'll just stick with my oh-so-amusing author notes and leave it at that. Enjoy!  
  
Dove: I hate you, so much, Sano.  
  
Sano: You could never hate this face.  
  
Dove: *Sigh* That's so not fair. Why are you almost as cute as Kenshin? It's just WRONG!!!  
  
Kenshin: Hey, waittaminnit!  
  
Sano: *Laughs*  
  
Dove: *Growls*  
  
Kenshin: *Looks insulted* 


	7. Chapter Seven

Dark  
  
   
  
Chapter Seven  
  
   
  
A/N: Enjoy! By the way, this is the combined work of Sanosuke Sagara and Kenshin Himura. That it is. (Oh, and we're sure Dove-chan would be in total shock from the amount of reviews!)  
  
   
  
Back at Battousai's apartment, Kaoru was.. to say the least.. furious.  
  
   
  
"KENSHIN YOU JERK! YOU SPOKE ABOUT ME AS THOUGH I WAS SOME SORT OF OBJECT!"  
  
   
  
"I am sorry, Miss Kaoru. But that was, in fact, the only way to save your life. Unless you'd like to me kill you?"  
  
   
  
"Ah.. no.. that's okay." Kaoru smiled with no humor or pleasantry at all.  
  
   
  
"Good. Now shut up and let me work."  
  
   
  
"What are you doing, anyway?"  
  
   
  
"I'm TRYING to sharpen my sword." He brandished the whetstone at her as though it was a weapon in itself. "However, you seem intent on not allowing me to."  
  
   
  
"Yeah, okay. Go ahead." She gave him a wave of her hand, and stared around the apartment in silence. Battousai gave a sigh of relief. He was almost done sharpening his Sakabatou when.. "Why don't you have a TV?" Of course.  
  
   
  
"Because." Sharpen. Sharpen. Sharpen.  
  
   
  
"WHY?"  
  
   
  
"Because I don't like TVs!" He snapped, and finished sharpening the sword. He slammed it into it's sheath with unnecessary force and then slammed the combination onto the rack. He slammed his palm against the wall to give him momentum, and whirled on her. "ANYTHING ELSE?"  
  
   
  
"Ah.. no." She muttered. He quickly calmed down, more angry at himself than her. He tried to soften his tone some.  
  
   
  
"Want something to eat?"  
  
   
  
"No." She said shortly, her back to him. A sharp rap came at the door. Kaoru just stuck her nose up in the air. Battousai snorted, and went to open it. Sano swaggered in. He took one look at the standoff, and laughed.  
  
   
  
"Made her mad, huh? I remember this one time, when she was about 9, I wouldn't let her light the candles. The evil little girl got her hands on a lighter, and lit my red headband on fire!" Kenshin gave a short chuckle. Kaoru actually laughed. She turned.  
  
   
  
"Yeah, and you ran around shrieking like a banshee. Finally you jumped into the pool!" She turned to Battousai, grinning. "He looked like a wet rooster." Sano smirked. Mission accomplished.  
  
   
  
Battousai was amused, and let himself smile. If he was going to keep a normal living environment with this girl, he needed to show some emotion. He understood that. He wasn't HAPPY about it, but he did understand it.  
  
   
  
"So, Kenshin. I heard about what you did today." Battousai jerked. How had he found out so fast? "Always knew ya had it in ya!"  
  
   
  
"Shut up, Sano, before you say something we're all going to regret." Sano thought about it. And then shrugged.  
  
   
  
"Do you still have fluffers?" Kaoru asked, out of the blue. All eyes turned to her. Sano started looking a bit worried.  
  
   
  
"Who?" Battousai asked, knowing full well that something embarrassing about Sano was about to be put into light.  
  
   
  
"Fluffers! Sano's stuffed bear. It was his favorite. Whenever he spent the night he used to sleep with it. He used it to make me go to sleep when I was really upset or acting really bratty. I tore one of the button eyes off once, accidentally.." Sano clamped a hand over her mouth. To late. She ducked, and finished. "And he cried!"  
  
   
  
Battousai let out another bellowing laugh. When he finally calmed down, his eyes were that strange violet color again. Kaoru dared not make a sound, she didn't want to wake him out of that state again. THIS man looked like he should have the name Kenshin.  
  
   
  
Sano was in awe. Twice in a row she'd managed to wake Battousai into his other 'self'. His Rurouni personality. The peace-loving, innocent, kind man that Kenshin had been when he'd first met him. Of course, Hiko had changed that. Yes, Kaoru was not the only person was DID, but she had a much more unstable case.  
  
   
  
Battousai regained control once more. "Well, Sano. It appears that you're not the tough-guy you pretend to be."  
  
   
  
"Who says I'm pretending?" Sano muttered, feeling a blush creep over his face.  
  
   
  
Suddenly, Kaoru grabbed Battousai and kissed him right on the mouth.  
  
   
  
((At this point, Dove-chan regains consciousness, shoves the anime guys aside, and tries to piece her story back together.))  
  
   
  
Battousai stared at her, as she backed away. Sano actually fell flat on his butt. Kaoru giggled self-consciously.  
  
   
  
"Why.. did you just do that?"  
  
   
  
"Because I'm alive." Battousai stared at her, and slowly registered what she meant.  
  
   
  
"O..kay.." He responded, before spinning on his heel and racing into the bathroom. Sano cracked up.  
  
   
  
"You flustered him!"  
  
   
  
"Huh?"  
  
   
  
"Battousai.. Kenshin.. whoever, he was BLUSHING!" Kaoru smirked.  
  
   
  
"Oh."  
  
   
  
The shower was hot. And calming. He'd almost kissed Kaoru back. He finally had to admit it. He was falling for her. Hard. But he was an assassin, how dare he have these feelings! It frustrated and intrigued him at the same time.  
  
   
  
As he washed his hair, Battousai decided to become more distant. That was it. The feelings would go away if he stopped trying to make living with her easier. Set in his new decision, Battousai turned the shower off, got dressed, and strolled back out.  
  
   
  
He did not speak to Kaoru, nor did he acknowledge her presence. He just made dinner (Spaghetti) and ignored her as she and Sano talked.  
  
   
  
"Yeah, he always does this when he realizes that he's starting to act like a human, not a ruthless killing machine." Sano explained. Kaoru had been near tears when Battousai had ignored her completely after her rather.. forward.. advances. She'd shocked herself when she'd just kissed a man who had threatened to cause he severe pain when they first met.   
  
How funny.   
  
Life sucks.  
  
   
  
"Really? Are you sure, Sano?"  
  
   
  
"Yeah, Missy." She'd looked so upset that he was reminded of when her father had given her the cold shoulder on his way out for a night on the town. He'd tried to comfort her then, too. Stupid babysitting training. He got a wicked smile. "Hey, Little Missy."  
  
   
  
"Hm?" He reached into a hidden pocket, and pulled out Fluffers.   
  
Yes, he always had Fluffers on him. No one that knew about this little factoid was still alive, however. Except, obviously, for Kaoru and Battousai.  
  
   
  
"Will this make you feel better?"  
  
   
  
"Fluffers!" Kaoru gasped. She loved that bear almost as much as Sano did. Snatching it from his grasp, she curled up with the brown fuzzy bear and actually fell asleep. Sano was rather proud of himself. It always worked!  
  
   
  
Battousai watched as Kaoru perked up, and then went to sleep. What an odd girl. She was rather- no. No thoughts. Boil the water.  
  
   
  
'WHAT was I thinking, asking Hiko if I could have her? This is going to play out very badly. That it is. Should have just killed her and been DONE with it.' Yet that little voice was there, ready with a witty response.  
  
   
  
'Liar.'  
  
   
  
A/N: NOT MY FAULT! Kenshin and Sano did it. What's an authoress to DO? I mean, they knocked me out and tried to KILL MY FIC!   
  
Kenshin: No we didn't! We tried to make it so you could update in time!  
  
Sano: Yeah! Although.. some of it WAS stuff you never would have written..  
  
Dove: No. Duh. Moron.  
  
Sano: HEY!  
  
Dove: *Growl*  
  
Kenshin: Now, now. See, everything turned out okay!  
  
Dove: GRRRR.  
  
Sano & Kenshin: *Run and hide in random places in the authoress' room*  
  
Dove: KENSHIN GET OUT OF MY SOCK DRAWER!  
  
Soujiro: Since Dove-chan appears rather.. busy.. at the moment, I'll have to read her review replies. ^-^  
  
Sailor Scout Buddy – Thank you! ^-^  
  
CurlsofSerenity - *Laughing* Thank you! I love your reviews, they're so much fun! ^_-  
  
SilverShadow – Thank you for your review.  
  
Mina – Thank you very much! ^-^  
  
Pidge – Thank you! ^-^  
  
Katy-Beth – Thank you for the review! I didn't understand any of it, but I'm looking into it. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!  
  
LadyChrisA – *Shudders* No! No more marshmallows! *Runs around screaming* Oh, and thanks for the offer, by the way. I sent you an email, did you get it?  
  
Moonblossom – Thanks for that.. really.. wild review! ^_- Yeah, now that you group it together, Kaoru's life DOES suck! Lol!!  
  
Can't-Get-Enough-Anime – Ah, you will see. You will see. ^-^  
  
Ironmouse – Thank you! ^-^  
  
LunaAngel – Thanks!  
  
Reka-Sama – Well, thank you for the review. No, I don't think I'm capable of making it rated 'R'. I am, after all, only 14. ^-^' It might be almost-R, but that's about as daring as I'm getting. -.-'  
  
Chasity31 – Thank you! I'm trying to develop the plot quickly, for all of those that are picky about seeing a plot instantly. Lol..  
  
Airen – Well, you see, I like the reverse-blade, and the scar, so I've changed that some. I'm also aware that Kenshin-sama didn't have the scar until after Tomoe's death. However, I've decided to give him the scar as a result of a fight that went wrong, and the reverse-blade is simply his trademark. (And I like the name. ^_- Sakabatou, it just sounds cool! ^-^)  
  
Baka-Ryu - *Looking scared.* You just had to use the Soujiro smile, didn't you? He's kinda a scary kid.. cute and fun, but very very VERY scary..  
  
Ruroken – Thank you.  
  
April Marie – Well, thank you!  
  
Blankis – Thanks! ^-^  
  
Sailor Scout Buddy – Wow. Um.. thanks for the 5 reviews in a row. I appreciate them. Well, see, I was considering writing a schedule, but then I realized that with my 'review requirements' being met so quickly, I'm basically going to be updating every day, so you see, just check back every day and there should be one, maybe two, chapters up. ^-^  
  
RK-128 – Wow. Um, thank you, I loved your review. I like compliments. ^-^  
  
Airen – Ah, you will. Right in the gut. (Just kidding!) Lol. ^-^  
  
Wow, everyone. Thank you so much for the fantastic speed-reviews! Okay. 100 reviews for the next chapter. And when I hit that amount, I'm gonna throw a party! (Really!) Anyone who wants to 'come' just say so in your review! ^_-  
  
Thanks again!  
  
Kenshin: HELLLPPPP!!  
  
Sano: PROTECT YOUR FACE! PROTECT YOUR FACE! 


	8. Chapter Eight

A/N: Okay, here is chapter 8. Enjoy enjoy! And review, too! ^-^  
  
"Hey, Lord Aoshi! Where're we goin'? Huh? Huh? Huh? HUH? HEY LORD AOSHI!"   
  
That girl was so annoying. She was loud, persistant, irritating, had an annoying voice, and really did resemble a weasel.   
  
"LORD AOSHI, WAIT UP!"  
  
And that was why he loved her. He stopped and waited.  
  
"We're going to visit Battousai." He was an old friend of Aoshi's. Actually, they were rivals for a while there. But now they were friends. So they were going to visit him. "Any oher questions?"  
  
"Oh, GOODY! Himura is so much fun to annoy!" Aoshi chuckled, thinking of how angry he'd gotten and how close it had came to bloodshed that one last time they had visited. It shocked them both. He coughed in an attempt to cover the almost-laugh. Misao practically floated. After a few minutes, she got over it.  
  
"Well. WHAT'RE WE WAITING AROUND FOR, LORD AOSHI! LET'S GO!" And they did.  
  
Kaoru woke up to the smell of spaghetti sauce. Her stomach growled softly at her, warning her that it was, in fact, beginning to get really hungry.  
  
"Took you long enough." A voice snarled. She opened her eyes, and sat straight up. Of course, she forgot that she was on a couch.  
  
And therefore, when she made that incredibly speedy movement, she had the natural grace to fall right off of the couch and directly onto the 'oh-so-soft' carpet below.  
  
"Ow." Was her brilliant comment. Kaoru groaned. She could FEEL Battousai's smirk. "Don't even GO there." She grumbled, standing up after a short argument with the blanket she found herself wrapped in.  
  
Battousai watched her fight the blanket off, almost-smiling. She'd looked cold, so he'd put it on her. Of course, he wasn't going to TELL her that.  
  
Kaoru, who had finally gotten free of the blanket and then thrown it across the room for aggrivating her, watched him warily as she sat on the couch. Then she noticed a missing prescence.  
  
"Where's Fluffers?"  
  
"Sano took him on his way out."  
  
"Why did Sano leave?"  
  
"He had a mission. I do, as well." That was when Kaoru realized that Battousai was in his full 'uniform'. He'd added a few pieces from when he'd kidnapped her. Such as wrist-guards, boots, a chest plate, and a second sword. A glance from the corner of her eye confirmed that the smaller sword, as well as the larger one, had both been taken from the rack.  
  
And he had the scar in full view. Remembering what he'd said to her just after he'd kidnapped her..  
  
He was going out to kill tonight.  
  
"You're going to murder someone." She said softly.  
  
"Yes." Kaoru was surprised. She expected him to yell at her for using that word and say that he preferred 'assassinate'. It was strange, because he hadn't ACTUALLY yelled at her at all, not even when he'd kidnapped her.  
  
Battousai saw her surprise, confusion, and then embarressment. Perhaps he needed to teach her how to guard her emotions some, her eyes were so unsheilded that he could see right through her.  
  
"Dinner is on the table, it should still be hot. I will be back late." He said without looking at her. He stood, and pulled his black leather duster on over his outfit, making sure the swords were completely covered.  
  
"Okay." She said calmly, more awake now. She watched him as he walked.. no, that wasn't the right word. Flowed, to the door. His movements were so incredibly graceful that every time she watched him it was as though she was observing a ballet.  
  
Battousai failed to notice something. He knew her eyes were on him, but he made one crucial error. He did not shield the keypad from her eyes.  
  
Kaoru watched his fingers, memorizing the numbers he hit. 'Six, three, one, four, nine, seven, two, five'  
  
"I'll be back later." And then he was gone. Kaoru heard a click that indicated a lock being activated. She went over to the food. Her head was spinning. To much hunger. So, she ate. And was surprised – she'd expected Battousai to have culinary skills about as good as hers.  
  
But not only was his food edible, it tasted fantastic. Perhaps she was just hungry. Kaoru finished quickly, and washed her plate, putting it away neatly after a five-minute search for the right cabinet.  
  
And then she went to the door. Finally, she could leave. So what if she actually kind of liked Batto- blast it! She kept forgetting to call him Kenshin. But.. he just didn't SEEM like a Kenshin.  
  
Kaoru decided to give this lovely internal argument up. She typed the numbers into the keypad, hoping with everything she had that she'd remembered the right combination. When the door clicked open, she nearly fell down from the sheer relief. She hurried out, closing the door carefully behind her. And then she turned and headed for the stairs.  
  
"Hey, YOU! What do you think you're doing!?" She froze mid-step. Only four steps away from Kenshin's apartment. SO BLOODY CLOSE. She turned, and didn't recognize the people looking at her.  
  
They both had dark hair. The man was tall, and had a dangerous glint in his eyes that almost matched Battousai's. The girl was small, with a vibrant aura and a long braid.  
  
"Oh. Hello." She smiled.  
  
"Why are you coming out of Himura's apartment?" Kaoru cursed the gods with everything she could possibly think of. Of COURSE these people should know Battousai.  
  
"Oh, no reason." She said with a big, fake smile. "I need to.. um.. be going now!" She turned and got a grand total of ONE step further.  
  
A hand clamped firmly on her shoulder.  
  
"Nice try, little missy." She groaned, and turned.  
  
"Come ON Sano! Let me go!"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, Hiko never said to keep me!"  
  
"Yes, but he gave you to Battousai, and that means that he kinda makes the rules now." Kaoru bristled. Sano got a little worried.  
  
"I AM PERFECTLY CAPABLE OF DECIDING THINGS FOR MYSELF! I AM A SENTINENT BEING! I AM NOT SOME OBJECT TO HAVE AND GIVE AND ORDER AROUND! NOW LET ME GO SANOSUKE SAGARA BEFORE I BITE YOU SO HARD YOU'LL WISH YOU DIDN'T HAVE A LEFT HAND!" She screeched.  
  
Sano shook his head, as much to say 'no' as to clear the ringing in his ears.  
  
"You're making a scene, missy. Now shut up and come on." He dragged a complaining, crying, fighting, biting, clawing Kaoru back to the apartment.  
  
Sano opened the door and shoved her inside. And then he turned to the newcomers, pushing Kaoru away every time she lunged at him. It was actually bordering between amusing and very sad.  
  
"Hey, Aoshi. Misao. Nice to – OOMPH! – See you again." He said, rubbing the side of his stomach, where he'd just taken a rather powerful punch from Kaoru. "Go on in, Just make sure Racoon-girl doesn't decapitate you." He said helpfully, shoving a snarling Kaoru away. She had a very homocidal thing going on again. Sano went in and the other two followed, closing the door firmly. Aoshi remembered the locking sequence, and so he actually went to the trouble of locking the door.  
  
Sano forced Kaoru to sit down, ignoring the fact that she was biting him hard enough to raise welts, stopping just shy of drawing blood.  
  
He had a sudden flashback of when he had beem babysitting Kaoru when she was about six.  
  
::: "I don't WAANNTTT you to go, DADDDEEEE!!" A wailing girl sobbed, latching onto her father's leg.  
  
"Sanosuke, get her off of me." He did as ordered, holding a girl, who was struggling with tooth and nail to get back to her father.  
  
"Alright. I can't hold her for long, Mr. Kamiya."  
  
"I'll be back sometime tonight." And her father vanished out the door. If anything, this put Kaoru into an even worse frenzy. So Sano forced her to sit down,:::  
  
just as he was now.  
  
"Kaoru,"  
  
:::"Kaoru,":::  
  
"If you don't stop"  
  
:::"If you don't stop this, right now,":::  
  
"I'm gonna"  
  
:::"I'm gonna have to":::  
  
"Tell"  
  
:::"Tell":::  
  
"Battousai."  
  
:::"Your father.":::  
  
Kaoru froze, just as she had when he'd threatened to tell her father about her behavior. She stared up at him, with a 'doe-caught-in-headlights' look in her eyes.  
  
"You wouldn't!"  
  
"Yes, I would." This conversation, though, was very different from when she was six. She'd just cried, then.  
  
And so, of course, she burst into tears.  
  
"I don't WANT to stay here!" She sobbed.  
  
"Miss Kaoru," Misao spoke up suddenly.  
  
"Yes?" She turned, blinking away tears unsuccessfully.  
  
"What has Battousai done to you, that has made you not want to stay here?"  
  
"He's threatened to hurt me," She said slowly.  
  
"But has he DONE anything?" Kaoru thought carefully, and realized something.  
  
"No."  
  
"Then why do you want to leave so badly?"  
  
"Especially when your father hates you so much? At least now you're with someone who wants you." Kaoru stared at Sano and Misao, and slowly nodded.  
  
"But.. I don't like being kept a prisioner!"  
  
"No one does." Misao soothed. "But I'm sure that soon you won't be a 'prisioner'. Especially since Battousai asked for you. That means that-" Sano hushed her with a look.  
  
"Means what?"  
  
"That Misao talks to much." Came a soft, emotionless voice. At first, Kaoru was afraid it was Battousai. But it wasn't.  
  
"Aoshi!" Misao complained.   
  
Kaoru's mind reacted instantly to the name. 'Aoshi Shinomourai. Where have I seen him before?' And then it clicked. She blurted it out without even thinking.  
  
"Hey, you used to be the paperboy for my block! You used to throw the paper through my window every morning." Aoshi stared at her. He opened his mouth. Sano beat him to it.  
  
"Don't bother asking. Apparently she has connections to everyone. I used to babysit her. I can't believe she still remembers EITHER of us. But she does. It's scary." Kaoru pouted. Misao laughed. Aoshi stared.  
  
Finally, Kaoru broke the silence.  
  
"Um. You guys aren't going to tell Battousai, are you?"  
  
"Tell me what?" Battousai asked, coming in the door as he took off his coat. There was blood all over his face, and a small cut over his left eyebrow.  
  
A/N: Hmmm. A bit of a cliffie this time. Is everyone gonna give her up, or keep her safe from Battousai's anger? Will she try to get away again? I'm sorry if this chapter was confusing. I kind of ran out of ideas. Because I need to get a few 'lead-in' chapters done, so I can really bring the plot to life. ^-^  
  
Kenshin: Kami-sama forbid.  
  
Dove: Grr. Y'know, I STILL have a headache from that Zanbatou!  
  
Kenshin: *Stares at all the empty Tylenol bottles* You don't say..  
  
Dove: Okay. Replies to reviewers.. oh, yeah, and for chapter 9, you have to give me.. umm.. 124 reviews! ^-^ I'm sure y'all can do it! I'm amazed that I already hit a hundred. I've always been so jealous of all of those people that can hit 100 and up..  
  
Here's a little hint about the next chapter: Kaoru's going to have a nightmare, and her Leukemia is going to suddenly start getting very malevolent. ^-^  
  
Sailor Scout Buddy – I might write a sequel.. it depends on how the original ends. ^-^  
  
CurlsofSerenity – Yeah, this is a funny fan-manga. I read it a long time ago, and loved it. I sure wish they'd update! Wow. I'm.. um.. glad you liked that.. Lol..  
  
Angie – Thank you!  
  
Angie – Thanks again! ^-^  
  
Ferai – Thank you so very much! I am totally and completely gratified. Thanks! I'm glad SOMEONE likes my authors notes that I work so hard on.. ^_-  
  
LunaAngel – I'm getting a little worried here.. *Grin* What's 6 times 12? ^-^  
  
Konton - *Eyes rope warily* Um.. thanks! ^-^  
  
Daine – Thank you! ^-^ I'll send you a party invite soon! ^_-  
  
Namiko The Anime Wizard – Well, thank you very much!! I'm glad you want me to continue. ^_-  
  
Baka-Ryu – *Afraid* Oh. Um. Okay. I'll send you a party invite soon, too! *Sweatdrop. Puts Kenshin in front of herself. Whisper.* [Hope you remember how to block a Gotatsu strike.. or things might get ugly.. ^-^]  
  
The party is gonna be held on email, and the I'm going to put what we write for the party in my author's notes. ^-^ Okay-dokay then. *Cries* Thank you for all of the wonderful fabulous stupendous reviews!!! 


	9. Chapter Nine

A/N: Here we go, chapter nine! Hey, someone requested that I write more RK fics. Well, I've just started to write a new one. Check it out, it might be interesting. I hope, lol. It's an AU fic, where the whole gang goes to highschool (Oh, yes, SO origional, neh?) and the name of it is 'The Revolution High Chronicles'. It isn't out yet, but it should be very soon. Okay then..  
  
Kenshin: You're obsessed with AU fics, aren't you?  
  
Dove: Yup! YUPYUPYUPYUPYUPYUPYUP!  
  
Kenshin: Dove-chan, have you been eating apples again?  
  
Dove: Eh.. no! Of course not! *Hides apple*  
  
Kenshin: You promised to cut back!  
  
Dove: It's to HHHHHHAAAAAARRRRRDDDDD!!  
  
**LaTeR tHaT nIgHt**  
  
Dove: Hello. My name is Dove-chan and I'm an apple-o-holic.  
  
Others: Hello, Dove-chan.  
  
Kenshin: ^-^… -.0 She's gonna get me for this later, isn't she?  
  
Sano: Oh, yeah. Sleep with one eye open, Kenshin.  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
Kaoru froze. Battousai blinked at her reaction. She turned with a smile that was painfully fake.  
  
"Um.. Well.. Nothing really.."  
  
"What is it, Kaoru?" Sano decided to take mercy on Kaoru.  
  
"We were considering sneaking her out to get some icecream. You know, to welcome Aoshi and Misao." He lied easily. Kaoru nodded eagerly, agreeing whole-heartedly to Sano's excuse.  
  
Battousai clasped hands with Aoshi in an almost friendly way.  
  
"Well, no need to sneak her out. We should all go, I wouldn't mind an icecream cone." He said, to Kaoru's utter amazement.  
  
"No kiddin'?" Sano voiced Kaoru's own thoughts. She was still staring at Battousai.  
  
"Yes. As long as Kaoru promises not to try anything funny."  
  
'He KNOWS!' She thought in a sudden panic. His eyes said it all. 'How does he KNOW?'  
  
"Oh, ah, sure! Of course not!" Kaoru said in a pinched voice, with a tense, way-to-high laugh to go with it.   
  
Misao was a lot smarter than people gave her credit for. She knew when an interruption was needed.  
  
"Well, Miss Kaoru, you're not going out in those rags, are you?" Kaoru gave Misao a questioning look, before looking down at herself.  
  
The clothing she was wearing was rumpled, somewhat blackened (Probably from her encounter with Gohei, she decided) and all-in-all sort of used.  
  
"Well, Miss Misao. These 'rags' are all I have." She grumbled. Misao grinned, suddenly grateful for the fact that she was almost Kaoru's height.  
  
"Good, because Misao has entirely to many clothes." Said Aoshi in an almost.. teasing.. tone.  
  
"AOSHI!" Misao giggled. "But really, Kaoru, I think I have some clothes that are to big for me."  
  
And that was how Kaoru found herself dressed in a shiny purple tank-top, and black jeans.   
  
And how they all found themselves in an icecream parlor.  
  
Now, Kaoru was not one to go all crazy with the guilty pleasures of life. But she LOVED icecream.  
  
And from the size of that tower of icecream that Battousai called a 'simple' icecream cone, so did the assassin.  
  
**  
  
"Thanks for the icecream!" Sano called as he headed into his apartment. Battousai steered Kaoru into the apartment she was, for a moment, almost tempted to call home.  
  
Aoshi and Misao followed.  
  
"Aoshi, you can have the couch, I'll take my chair, and Kaoru do you mind sharing that bed with Misao?"  
  
"No problem." Her voice was oddly weak. Her head was getting light. "I'm really tired, I'll just head off to bed.." She vanished from sight. They heard the sounds of a door opening and then closing.  
  
Battousai took his seat, and Misao sat on one side of the couch while Aoshi sat on the other.  
  
"So. Himura. Where'd she come from?"  
  
"I was ordered to kidnap her." He said vaugely.  
  
"AND?" Misao pressed.  
  
"And then I was supposed to kill her but I asked for her." He grumbled.  
  
"You did WHAT?" Aoshi asked, almost showing emotion. "How could you do that to someone her age?"  
  
"It was the only way to save her life, blast it!" He growled in response. Misao's voice was tiny.  
  
"But Himura, you took away her freedom twice in a row without asking her permission."  
  
"Yeah, I know." His tone was very final.  
  
"Do you love her?" Both Misao and Aoshi asked at the same time, her tone considerably more intrested. Battousai glared at them and refused to answer.  
  
**  
  
Kaoru fell into the bed, utterly exhausted. She hated when she felt so weak. If only she had her pills.. She fell asleep.  
  
::: "Only two things matter to me, in this world, Kaoru."  
  
"What're they, daddy?"  
  
"Money, and your mother. But you took the second one away from me!"  
  
"But.. I'm here!"  
  
"What's your point? You killed her to get here."  
  
"I didn't mean to."  
  
"Well, you did. And I hate you."  
  
The dream changed, it went very violent very quickly.  
  
Blood stained the walls. Kaoru screamed as she saw the knife slash right through the man next to her.  
  
"Stop it! Stop it!" She shrieked, grabbing the nearest object available. Unfortunatly, two cushions and a poker were the only arsenal available to the desperate twelve-year-old. She chose the metal poker, swinging it at her assailent.  
  
The knife flashed, cutting deeply into her wrist.  
  
She screamed again and the poker flew out of her hands.  
  
The man advanced. She could see his face.  
  
It was large, and very familiar.  
  
Very, very familiar.  
  
Someone ran between them.  
  
Red hair?  
  
"Don't touch her, Jin'Ne. She is a child, and an innocent."  
  
"She's a witness, Battousai."  
  
"Don't call me that, and she's a child, this is probably just going to fade right out of her memory." He turned, and Kaoru saw his beautiful lavander eyes.  
  
They were to clear, so innocent. Unstained. Pure.  
  
She reached for him.  
  
And the knife tore right through him, cleaving him in half.:::  
  
Kaoru's scream brought the other three to the room instantly.  
  
Battousai saw the way she was thrashing, and went to her side.  
  
He grabbed her shoulders, and held her down. She sucker-punched him right in the jaw. His eyes crossed momentarily. But he didn't let go.  
  
"Kaoru, wake up. KAORU!" He shook her. Her eyes snapped open. They had a glazed look that showed that she was seeing right through him. Just before she started gagging.  
  
He watched with almost-facination as blood spilled from her mouth. He saw the source, her gums were hemorrhaging. He picked her up – she still wasn't under the covers – and carried her to the bathroom.  
  
Battousai set her on the counter. She just sat and stared, as though catatonic. He cleaned the blood off of her neck, chin, and mouth. And he caught the blood whenever more came. Finally, the hemorrhage stopped.  
  
Kaoru began to wake up. She saw Battousai's sort-of worried face and screamed again.  
  
"What's wrong?" She breathed deeply, heart thundering in her ribcage.  
  
"Nothing. Nightmare. I can't breath." There was blood under her nails, she noticed as her head got light again. Pain rushed through her and she thrashed. Battousai caught her before she fell. "I.. I don't feel good.." Her eyes rolled back in her head and she fell into a dead faint.  
  
"AOSHI!" Battousai shouted. "GET ME MEGUMI!"  
  
A/N: Oooh. Dramatic cliffhanger. I'm sorry if I messed up something. I'm kinda at a loss here. I have a limited amount of information about Leukemia. If someone knows anything about Leukemia, please send it to me or post it in their review because I'd be very very very grateful. I want to be accurate, and I need more info on the symptoms and the treatment (Like the bone marrow transplant) and stuff. Thank you! ^-^  
  
Kenshin: Great! WHOOO HHOOOO! This chapter is OVER! Sano, break out the Sake!  
  
Sano: *Brings out four jugs of Sake.* Here ya – woah.  
  
Dove: *Chugs an entire jug*  
  
Sano: Er.. that might not be a good idea, Dove-chan.  
  
Kenshin: It's your fault. You're a bad influence.  
  
Dove: *Giggling* In-flu-ennsssseee! HEHEHEHEHEE!!  
  
Sano: Her giggling sounds like you, Kenshin.  
  
Kenshin: Are you CRAZY? I do NOT giggle! Under any circumstance!  
  
Dove: Kenn-ssaammmaaa gggiiigggllleeeesss! HEHEHEHE!! ^-^  
  
Sano: *Recording everything for blackmail material*  
  
Saitou: Why do ~I~ have to read these? *Sighs* *Smokes* Fine.  
  
Moonblossom – Lol! I'm glad you enjoyed that. ^-^  
  
Vanilla Bean – My response above is basically for you. Chapter one should be out soon.  
  
Mystic Gohan – Kenshin: Thank you! | Sano: Yeah. Excuse us while we run for our lives.| Dove: Heh. ^-^ Hope you enjoy chapter 8 in the disguise of chapter 10. ^-^  
  
Baka-Ryu – Lol. Thanks. I probably couldn't make the love scene to intense if I tried, it'd make ME ill. ^-^ I don't understand that last part of your review..  
  
Daine – MWAHAHAHAHAHA! I like leaving cliffhangers. Lol.  
  
CurlsofSerenity – Thank you. Um.. well. That's disturbing. A post-story. Lol. Alrighty, more medical stuff! Yay! ^-^  
  
LunaAngel – Well, there's an intresting analogy. Lol.  
  
Wolf – *Giggling* Oh, thanks! ^-^  
  
Son Lila – Lol. Thank you!  
  
Eikichi – Your wish is my command!  
  
Ruroken – Okay!  
  
AzNfRiSbEeDrAgOn – Oh. Well, thank you very much! I'm very pleased that you like my fic!  
  
Luna – Uh.. cool..  
  
Angie – Lol! Now, and thank you!  
  
Bishi Crazy – I'm actually not a huge fan of chocolate.. but other people are and if my story can compare, my day has been made! Lol!!  
  
Kurokumo – Oh. Cool.  
  
Nanikilover/Brukaoru – MWAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Tani-chan – Thanks! (Hope you feel better, here, have some chicken soup! *Rewards reviewer with a nice hot bowl of chicken soup*)  
  
Koniko-chan – Can you keep a secret? I'm 'The neverending typist' because I stay up to unearthly hours just typing and reading and stuff, and I have no real life. So typing is what makes my day bearable. Lol. Yeah, I'll send ya an invite soon! Well. Thank you! I like those parts too! ^-^  
  
Pidge – Okay-dokay!  
  
Sailor Scout Buddy – Lol. What do you mean?  
  
Evillaughingtalkingwall – Okay. Cool. Lol! *Whacks Kenshin upside the head* Kenshin: OW! What was that for? | Dove: *Shrug* Ask the reviewer!  
  
Sailorscoutbuddy – Lol, and why?  
  
LadyChrisA – A'course you can come! Yeah, I got you email. I forgot to reply. Excuse me while I go jump in the well. I'll be drowning myself if you need me.  
  
CrazyFireKitsuneGirl – Of course you can come! Lol. Thanks.. and.. wow. What a compliment!  
  
Kitty – Thanks! That's an intresting idea..  
  
White Tiger – Thank you!  
  
Akira – Lol. Thanks!  
  
Okay, everyone, just so ya know, it took me over 20 minutes to reply to all of these reviews! I'm almost in tears, thank you for all of the fantastic response! ^-^  
  
A thing about the party – Instead of in email, it's going to be at EZboards, I'll send the link when I get it done. I'm bored. So, yeah. Lol. ^-^  
  
I can't believe it, 144 reviews. Incredible. Okay, for the next chapter, 152. Yeah, that's a good number. Anyone else noticing that I only ask for even numbers of reviews? That's 'cause odd numbers totally freak me out. Lol.  
  
Okay, I can't wait to put the next, much more plot-ridden, chapter up so hurry and review! Heh! ^-^  
  
P.S. Did I mention that I take bribes to put up more chapters for less reviews? ^_- 


	10. Chapter Ten

Dark  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
A/N: Geesh! It took y'all NO time! *Holds the plate of cookies lovingly* Oh golly gosh! I'm so very happy! ^_- Okay, I'll make this chapter as long as I can (AKA I'll type until my mom bugs me to do stuff and I get tired of the computer screen)  
  
Kenshin: Oh, yeah. THAT'll take long. You still have to finish Chapter one of the Chronicles!  
  
Dove: Oh shut up!  
  
Kenshin: Why do you even HAVE these Author Notes?  
  
Dove: Read the reviews, moron. They love 'em!  
  
Kenshin: I thought you didn't like people calling me moron?  
  
Dove: I just don't like Hiko. ^-^ Oh yeah, which of you wrote the 'Kaoru kisses Battousai' part?  
  
Sano: Kenshin.  
  
Kenshin: Sano.  
  
Dove: It was you, wasn't it, Kenshin? *Shows a bit of fang*  
  
Kenshin: Yes, yes! Don't hurt me!  
  
Dove: It's not ME you need to worry about..  
  
Kaoru: KENSHIN!!!!!  
  
Everything hurt. All of it. Her arms, her legs, her back, her neck, her stomach, EVERYTHING. It felt like someone had been dropping books on her for a couple of hours.  
  
Kaoru forced her eyes open, feeling pain she'd never had the 'pleasure' of experiencing before. Hello, pain. I don't believe we've really met before. I'm Kaoru Kamiya. I wouldn't say it's a pleasure to meet you, but hello all the same.  
  
The pain was incredible, it stunned her. It kept her from moving, from thinking, from breathing. She managing tiny, irregular gasps. Finally, she disassociated herself. That was the only way, if she didn't the pain would drive her certifiably insane.  
  
A familiar, comforting blackness overtook her. Kaoru fell into it with a grateful feeling. At least SHE wouldn't have to endure the insane pain anymore.  
  
Battousai was very, very worried. Not that he would ever admit it to anyone. Of course not! But as he carried the very much unconcious Kaoru to the living room to wait the doctor's arrival, he felt a slight twinge of panic. Very unassassin-like feelings. Very.  
  
As he set her on the couch, Battousai had a completely random thought, 'I certainly am using a lot of 'verys' tonight..' Misao came in with ice. She put it on Kaoru's neck.  
  
"What are you doing?" He asked, almost angrily.  
  
"Look at her throat, moron. Gosh, Himura! Do you know anything? Don't you see how swollen it is? I'm trying to relieve some of that pain." Battousai nodded, choosing to ignore that she'd called him a moron.  
  
He looked at her cheeks. They were flushed with a severe fever. He didn't keep a thermometer – he didn't get sick! He would guess, though, that she had at least a fever of 100 degrees or higher.  
  
"What is taking her so long?" He growled.  
  
"Patience, Battousai."  
  
"How can I be patient when she is in so much pain!" He shouted, and immediately felt foolish for it. But Aoshi just nodded.  
  
"All you can do is keep a cold compress on her forehead and wait for the best. Oh, and try to keep the blood off of her clothing."  
  
Battousai looked down and saw that Kaoru's nose was bleeding. How annoying. All of her symptoms flaring up like that! He did keep the blood from reaching her clothing, and after a while the blood flow stopped.  
  
Dr. Megumi Takani strode in, took on look at all of the blood-soaked cloths, and knew something was wrong. She raced to the girl on the couch, removing the ice from her throat. She gave her a quick examination.  
  
"We have to get her back to the facilities, Battousai. The Lymph Nodes in her throat are swollen, she's bleeding, she's severely bruised-"  
  
"She has Leukemia, Megumi." Battousai informed her.  
  
"I was getting to that. Come on." She lead the way out the door, and everyone followed. Battousai carried Kaoru.  
  
Sanosuke came out of his apartment to find out what was going on. He came out spouting cheerful things, such as 'What the #@*! Is wrong with you people?' '#@!* What happened to Missy?!' '#*@! I should have noticed! *@!# *@#! #@$!' and a few other choice lyrics.  
  
It went without saying that the cheerful company made quite a bit of racket as they went down to Megumi's van. She sped. In all of her years as a doctor for the syndicate, she had never ACTUALLY broken any laws. But now she was speeding through the busy streets of Tokyo.  
  
In no time, they made it to the 'facilities'. They all proceeded happily inside.  
  
Megumi ran a thorough diagnostics on Kaoru. When she came back out to the somber, waiting crowd, she had a very unhappy expression plastered on her face.  
  
"What's wrong?" Misao asked, as though the doctor's expression wasn't enough.  
  
"She has a severe onset of Leukemia. And to tell you the truth, I don't think she's going to make it unless she has a bone marrow transplant RIGHT NOW." She informed them softly.  
  
"Then lets see who matches!" Sano shouted, raising a fist in jubilation. Megumi stared at them.  
  
"Wait. You mean that you are actually willing to do that? Isn't she that girl you were supposed to kidnap Battousai, who's father is a major enemy of our syndicate branch?" Sano growled at her, eyes darkening.  
  
"She's also a 17-year-old girl who's life can be given back to her by a simple transplant, now c'mon!" He took his 'Aku' jacket off.  
  
Misao rolled her sleeve up, with an excited 'yes, I will to!' Aoshi just silently took his trenchcoat off and rolled the sleeve up. No questions asked, no objections made, no added joy either.  
  
Battousai stared at them all, before he shrugged and took his own jacket off and rolled his sleeve up as well.  
  
Megumi nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"Okay then, if you insist." The looks on everyone's faces warned her to shut up and hurry.  
  
"The results are in!" She called. Immediately everyone rushed into the room.  
  
"Well?" Sano asked.  
  
"Her blood type is very specific. Sanosuke, you don't match. Neither do you, Misao. However, you, Aoshi and you, Battousai DO match. It's up to the both of you. Which will it be?" Her tone was pure doctor now.  
  
"I will." Battousai said with no hesitation what-so-ever. Not only was he eager to find out how it felt to give life instead of take it, he also had 'asked' for Kaoru and therefore owed it to her.  
  
Just before he went under, He saw Kaoru's face contort with pain. And oddly enough, seeing that gave him an odd feeling in his chest. Pain.  
  
"How are they, Megumi?!" Misao asked for about the thirtieth time.  
  
"As I said before, Misao, Battousai is just fine and Kaoru's body is attempting to adjust to this new bone marrow."  
  
"How long until we know?"  
  
"Soon. Now PLEASE shut up!"  
  
Misao pouted her way back to Aoshi, who half-smiled at her face.  
  
Battousai woke up to an odd feeling of weakness, dizziness, and nausea. He sat up, bringing Megumi's attention to him immediately.  
  
"How are you? Feeling okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. How's Kaoru?" His voice betrayed a slight worry. Megumi's face did not show any sort of good news.  
  
"I'm afraid she's sunk into a deep coma, Battousai."  
  
He felt his heart stop.  
  
A/N: Not to good of a cliffie, I know.  
  
Kenshin: Told you she couldn't write much!  
  
Dove: SHUT UP! My boyfriend invited me to go watch fireworks with him tonight, so I'm kinda a little to excited to write any sort of good suspense!  
  
Kenshin: *Smirks*  
  
Dove: *Thwacks him with a bag of marshmellows* Anyhoo, I'm not going to respond to reviewers this time, but I will next chapter. Still taking bribes! *Finishes off the last cookie* And as you can see, I put this up BEFORE I reached 152 reviews. ^_- 160 reviews for chapter eleven. However, even if that is reached, I won't be able to update again tonight. I will tommorrow, though. So, be sure to reach the reviews so I can update really soon!  
  
The party has started. Everyone who got their invitation, feel free to join in! ^-^ 


	11. Chapter Eleven

Dark  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
A/N: Gosh, I'm sorry! I really did try to update, but I was SO sick yesterday. I broke out in a severe case of hives, and stuff. It wasn't good. Not at all. It itched. I tried as hard as I could to write this chapter.. I saved that fruitless endeavor and I am shocked at how horrendous it was. But here is chapter eleven, now I'm gonna shut up.  
  
Kenshin: I bet you all expect a rude comment, don'cha?  
  
Sano: Don'cha? That is NOT a word, Kenshin!  
  
Dove: My head..  
  
Kenshin: Oops! Sorry. Here. *Hands authoress a bowl of hot Miso soup* I heard you asking your mom for some.  
  
Dove: Yum. *Groan* I can't write! ARGH!  
  
Sano: We cou-  
  
Dove: NO! *Leaps up, spilling Miso soup everywhere. Especially on herself.* OW! HOT!  
  
Kenshin: Oro..  
  
Dove: *Growl* WHAT ARE YOU 'ORO'-ing about?!  
  
Kenshin: Nothing.. why don't you go to bed instead of writing?  
  
Dove: BECAUSE I'M IN A BAD MOOD AND IT'S GONNA AFFECT THIS CHAPTER NO MATTER WHAT YOU SPLIT-PERSONALITY LITTLE RED-HEAD FREAK!  
  
Kenshin: Okay..  
  
Sano: Right. Good. Just smile and nod.  
  
Dove: WHAT ARE YOU SMILING ABOUT!?! *Lunges*  
  
**Fifteen minutes later**  
  
Kenshin: I know you're in a bad mood, Dove-chan, but please let me out of the well! *Treading water*  
  
Dove: NO!  
  
Sano: *Groans from hog-tied position under the bed.* Ow..  
  
The next few weeks passed in a sort of mechanical blur. Battousai continued his job, almost without paying attention. Even as he slit someone's throat he was thinking about Kaoru. Wouldn't she like that.  
  
He kept her at his apartment, on his waterbed. Megumi checked in every other day to make sure that her body was not rejecting the marrow. Oddly enough, it wasn't. At all. In the slightest bit. How strange, she'd just completely accepted Battousai's gift and that was that.  
  
Aoshi and Misao had left in the second week, promising to come back later. They had some sort of mission to complete. Sano came over four or five times a week, just to check on them.  
  
Coming home from his latest day's work, Battousai put his sword half-heartedly back on the rack. He changed into his usual gray sweatpants after a hot shower, and took a seat next to the bed.  
  
Kaoru, even in a coma, was beautiful in his eyes. Her face was pale, but there was more color to it than he'd ever seen. Megumi had an IV in her, keeping her hydrated.  
  
Almost nervously, Battousai picked up the hand without the IV and gently stroked the palm. She was almost breakable to the touch. So porcelain. How could her father hate her so much? Every time he thought about Koshijirou he felt a wave of pure rage go through him.  
  
How could he endanger such a fragile thing's life?  
  
More than once, Battousai considered asking permission to assassinate him. But oddly enough, every time he considered it, he saw Kaoru's dissapproving face. And didn't bother.  
  
He squeezed Kaoru's hand gently and was about to put it down, when..  
  
It squeezed back.  
  
He almost leapt to his feet. He leaned over Kaoru, and looked closely at her eyelids. They were twitching! Careful to hold his excitement in, he spoke softly and calmly.  
  
"Kaoru?" She let out a very soft sound. Like a squeak. "Come on, Kaoru, wake up!" He allowed the slighest bit of emotion to invade his voice. She groaned this time. "Come on you silly girl, open your eyes!"  
  
Kaoru moved her head slightly, with a weak sigh. And then she said something. One, single word.  
  
"Kenshin.." That was it. Battousai stared at her in open astonishment. After three weeks of being in a coma, the first thing she said upon coming out of it was his name? It confused him. A lot.  
  
"Kaoru? You're still there, right? Don't got back into that coma, wake up and open your eyes!" She groaned at him. That sound was as fierce as any words. 'Shut up, I'm trying to sleep'. But he wasn't going to let her. "Wake up! Now!" He ordered. She opened her eyes and glared at him for a moment.  
  
He saw no flicker of recognition in her eyes. If anything, she looked afraid of him and confused.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked. Battousai stared at her.  
  
"What do you mean?" She just looked at him, obviously confused and afraid.  
  
Battousai wasted no time at all in calling Megumi in. The doctor questioned Kaoru extensivly, trying to pinpoint the problem.  
  
Finally, she got it, and went to share her knowledge with Battousai.  
  
"She doesn't have amnesia, Battousai. This isn't Kaoru. This is a completely different person."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, you know how she has the different 'hers' in her head?"  
  
"Yes.."  
  
"Well, this is another 'her' basically. She was in so much pain when she came to for those precious seconds, she must have created a whole new 'her'."  
  
"She came to?"  
  
"Just as you went under, she regained conciousness for a few seconds."  
  
"Oh.."  
  
"Normally, alternate personalities have their own names. I've already taken the IV out, and given her a check-up. My work here is done. Good night." And she left.  
  
Battousai headed back into the bedroom. Kaoru was sitting up. She wore a simple hospital gown, the kind that DIDN'T open in the back. (Battousai had made sure of that, she was entitled to her modesty.) She looked at him casually, much less afraid now that she was a bit more awake.  
  
"Who are you?" She asked again. He considered. Should he tell her his name, or the other one? 'Well, there's a nice question. My name, or my name?' He half-smiled.  
  
"Kenshin Himura. You are?"  
  
"I'm Rumor."  
  
"What?"  
  
"My name," Now she just sounded impatient. "Is Rumor." Battousai kind of stared at her.  
  
"That's a weird name."  
  
"So is Kenshin." She responded stoutly. Battousai smirked.  
  
"I suppose it is, but that's not the point.. Rumor. Are you hungry?"  
  
"Yes.. I suppose I am.." She admitted with a shy smile that differed from Kaoru's wide grin so much that Battousai was momentarily taken aback.  
  
"Well, I just happen to have some food." He strolled out, and found the kitchen after a moment of hard thought. Now that he really considered it, he'd eaten perhaps every two days. Maybe that was why he was distracted? Starvation? Chuckling very softly to himself, Battousai opened the refridgerator.  
  
"Well, Rumor, we have what looks like.. um.. actually.. I haven't been to the store in forever. And that Ramen looks ancient. Would you prefer going out somewhere?" He tacked that last part on hesitantly, unsure as to whether or not she would try to run away if he took her out.  
  
He didn't know what to expect from her, and from what he knew of DID, she had no memory of their first meeting. That was probably why she was so confused, but she was being quite amiable about it.  
  
Now, if he'd been dealing with Kaoru, he would know that she wasn't going to try anything. Her eyes were to open. But Rumor's eyes were very.. closed. Almost like his own, close to impossible to read.  
  
Battousai almost grinned as he remembered the panic in Kaoru's eyes when she'd realized that he knew she'd tried to get away. Had she hidden the pure surprise and fear at his sudden appearance and the guilt that came instantly afterwards, he probably wouldn't have figured it out.  
  
"Okay." He jumped. She was right behind him – how had she masked her movements? He looked at her suspiciously for a moment. She took another step, and he saw how sloppy her movements were. Obviously he had just been to busy thinking to notice her.  
  
"Good. First, we need to get you into some clothes and on the way back from the resturant how about we buy you something to wear?" She just nodded.  
  
Battousai got her the freshly washed clothing that Sano had brought for her and she changed.  
  
They went to a small, family-owned Japanese resturant. How funny – Japanese cuisine in Japan.  
  
Afterwards, they got a few nice outfits for.. Rumor/Kaoru.  
  
And then they went home.  
  
It was, all-in-all, very normal and completely unlike how it should have been. She was still a prisioner.. all though it really didn't seem that way anymore. But even if she wanted to go, he wouldn't have let her. Luckily, she seemed content where she was.  
  
They got back to the apartment. Not three seconds after they walked in, did Kaoru let out a shout. Battousai whirled back around, and watched as she stomped on her attacker's instep (Stopping just short of breaking the foot) and then stepped back a bit as she flipped said attacker over her shoulder.  
  
Sano looked up, dazed.  
  
"Geez, Missy, I just touched your shoulder!"  
  
She stared at him for a long moment, and then burst into tears. Battousai went back to her, making it a point to step on Sano as he went past. The ruffian made a sound an awful lot like a squeak.  
  
"What's wrong?" Battousai asked, almost kindly.  
  
"Nothing." She looked up at him with now-dry eyes. He saw a difference in her eyes.  
  
"Kaoru?" He asked hesitantly.  
  
"Of course! Who else would I be? And why is Sano on the floor?"  
  
After a ten-minute explanation, Kaoru nodded. "Oh, Okay. I get it now."  
  
Everything was good and calm and nice and relaxed.  
  
Now who thought that was going to be acceptable to the gods?  
  
The door literally burst in off of it's hinges. Kaoru yelped and jumped behind Battousai, who had risen almost in perfect synch with Sano to meet this new challenge.  
  
"You're out-manned, and out-gunned, Battousai. Don't move." Came a soft, calm voice. In strolled a man who wore a black ski-mask, black gloves, a large (Black) closed trenchcoat with the bottoms of black pants showing and black boots.  
  
All-in-all, Kaoru decided that the color-code sucked.  
  
Battousai growled, low in his throat. On instinct, Kaoru grasped the back of his shirt. Where that instinct had come from, she didn't know. But it was there.  
  
"What do you want, Shishio?"  
  
"Oh, not MUCH.." The man laughed, evil bronze eyes glinting underneath the mask.  
  
A/N: There ya go. *Pleased with herself* I wrote a reasonably long chapter. I'm trying at least! *Grumble* I thought it might be fun to drag Shishio in, too. Am I spelling his name right? I know there's another part of his name.. is it Makoto or something? A little help here? *Sigh*  
  
Kenshin: LET ME OUT!  
  
Dove: No!  
  
Sano: Then untie ME!  
  
Dove: NO!  
  
Dove's Brother: What are you doing?  
  
Dove: Ah.. just kidnapping some nice aniem characters. That's all.  
  
Dove's Brother: Well, drowning girly-boy probably isn't a good idea.  
  
**Five minutes later**  
  
Dove's Brother: Hello.  
  
Kenshin: Hi.  
  
Dove: *Slams the lid on the 'drowning duo'.* Grr.  
  
Sano: Well. Thank Kami-sama for small favors. I'm still on dry land.  
  
Dove: Then shut up!  
  
Sano: …  
  
Aoshi: What are you doing, Dove-chan? *Figures out what's going on* Oh. *Unties Sano, rescues Kenshin and Dove's Brother* There. Okay. Now that my pointless role in this is done, I'm leaving. *Makes good on his promise.*  
  
Dove: *Grumble* Okay, quick note. From Sunday (The 6th) to the 18th, I'm going to be at a Cyber-Defender's Institute (CDI) So I will be updating only once, MAYBE twice a day. We're getting laptops to use during it, so during our lunch break I'll try to write a chapter to post later that night, okay? See, despite the fact that I'm going to be in class from 8am to 5pm I still am going to try to update as fast as I can! I'm such a nice authoress. ^-^ Oh yeah, about the fireworks. Wouldn't you know that my boyfriend only actually made physical contact with me TWICE? Once to stop me from killing one of his relatives, and once because I complained that I was cold. -.-' He's hopeless..  
  
Now that I'm done chatting about something no one cares about.. 192 reviews for chapter 12. I'm going to go try to write it.. and I'll leave.. *Rolls a die* Kenshin to read the review responses. *Toddles off*  
  
Kenshin: *Reading the above words* 'Toddles'? *Gets smacked upside the head with a shoe* Ow. Okay, okay. Here we go.  
  
Starburst – Oh, thank you! ^-^  
  
Koniko-chan – Lol! Sorry, but Sano recorded that *Points thumb at horribly disguised Sano sitting in a tree with camera* Oh, Kenshin wrote that silly part *GLARE*  
  
CurlofSerenity – Huh. Well, thank you for the info! ^-^ You can borrow Sano and he'll give you a massage, if you like. ^-^ Sano: WHAT?! | Dove: *GLARE* | Sano: Oh.. ehheh.. right! ^-^'  
  
Daine – I just enjoy torturing the readers. ^_-  
  
Seiyo – As you command! ^-^  
  
Ferai – Lol. Any bribe will do. *Grumble* Geesh, does everyone instantly think 'food' when they hear that word? What do you mean, you feel sorry for Kenshin and Sano! They moved in with ME! *Not actually mad or upset at all but putting on a really good melodramatic show*  
  
Moonblossom – Lol, everything works out in the end. I think. Heck, I dunno WHAT is gonna happen! Ask the muses!  
  
LunaAngel – Oh. Um.. well. Thank you! ^-^  
  
Konton – Lol!  
  
LadyChrisA - *munches on apple* ^-^ *Glares at book-dropping hubby* HEY NOW! NONE OF THAT! I LIKE MY REVIEWERS UNINJURED THANK YOU! *Walks off in a huff.*  
  
MysticGohan – Lol! I don't mind rambling. *Smirks at Sano* It's okay if you call me Dove-chan, that's my name! ^-^  
  
Fire – Thank you!  
  
Daine – Mmmm.. *Lunges for bribe* ^-^ Yup, Party's in full-swing now! ^-^  
  
Kurokumo – *Giggle* I'll take that as a compliment.. a hemorrhage is when.. huh. What IS a hemorrhage? Basically it's when you start bleeding, like from your gums or something. A bloody nose is a hemorrhage.  
  
Dark Angel – Hullo and okay! ^-^  
  
Mary Wolfe – Thanks!  
  
Faerie-chan – Lol! Thanks, I was wondering who'd bring the dip..  
  
Baka-Ryu – What? You WANT me to make really bad cliffhangers? I'M SURE THE OTHER REVIEWERS LOVE THAT! *Heh Heh*  
  
Koniko-chan – Well, thank Kami that I won't be keeping people from concentrating on work! ^_- Have fun at work..  
  
L3al3yanime – Ah, all will be revealed in due time. ^-^  
  
Manekineko – thanks!  
  
Janet – Thank you!  
  
Wolf – Lol! ^-^  
  
Ferai – Ah, please do! ^-^ and I did.. for the most part..  
  
Sailor Scout Buddy – Ohh.. okay. That's a secret. And.. um.. yeah. Happy 4th.. *Rescues Soujiro*  
  
Beriath – Thanks!  
  
Evillaughingtalkingwall – Lol! I get the point. ^-^  
  
Gena – Thanks!  
  
LadyChrisA – Lol! *Takes proffered Kenshin+Food.* Heh. ^-^  
  
Pidge – No one. Let's say it's courtesy of the syndicate. ^_-  
  
Kawaii Ayame – Okay.. no problem.. ^-^ I'm glad you like it! I love writing the love-hate thing. ^-^  
  
MoonBlossom – MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA.. *Cough*  
  
Chris – Lol. Of course!  
  
MysticGohan – Um. Okay. It's a secret. Enjoy your brownies. My English class never taught me anything useful like that. We were Pre-AP and all we learned was how to fill out a worksheet on poems, how to write hyphens, and how to use Stems. YAY. *Growl* And then she threw a research paper on as at the end of school and never explained it and it ruined my grade (Still got a 4.0.. heheh..) and.. and.. and!!! ARGH! *Has mental break-down*  
  
Wishstar – Okay! *Thwacks Kenshin* Kenshin: OW!! Why did you hit me!? | Dove: Reviewer told me to. ^-^  
  
CrazyFireKitsuneGirl – Thanks! Yeah, they were kinda cool. All sparkly and stuff. A piece of one of the rocket's landed next to my boyfriend's dad's chair. It was funny. ^-^  
  
Eikichi – Okay.  
  
flyinangel777@yahoo.com – Yup. Okay. Thanks. ^-^  
  
Kyia Star – It took me all day to write this one.. expect chapter twelve tomorrow.  
  
Fire – Lol! Can't have that happen!  
  
Conscience Fairy - *Sobs* NOOO! YOU HATE ME!! Ow. Now I have a headache. *Complains* Glad you like the story, even though to hate me.. ^-^  
  
XP-Dark Angel – Lol! It gets better! Really!  
  
Thanks for all the reviews! I have 13 pages of reviews, I'm in awe! I love long reviews, just an FYI ^_- And bribes are still being accepted! I'm trying to make chapters longer and less.. cliffy. ^-^  
  
Kenshin: Yeah, right.  
  
Dove: *GROWL*  
  
Kenshin, Sano, Dove, Dove's Brother, And other people that pop up randomly: See ya next chapter! 


	12. Chapter Twelve

Dark  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
A/N: Hello, everyone! I'm feeling much better now. Aveeno is your friend. *Grin*   
  
#@&! Some moron at Toonami took Kenshin off! *Falls to the ground in a sobbing heap of hysteria* They put TWO more episodes on, on the 12th and 19th, Weekends, At 9:30 pm! THE %$@#!? ARGH! It really upsets me because I LOVE THAT SHOW! *Sob* *Drinks Carmel Frappachino*  
  
Okay. To the person that has just given me TWELVE dogs, thanks! ^-^ I'll just have to introduce them to y'all now 'cause they're so cute!  
  
2 Pomeranians (One white, one peach-colored) named Snow-puff and Angel.  
  
3 Border Collies (All black and white) named Crackers, Cheese, and Turkey.  
  
1 German Shepard (The usual brown/black/whatever) named Squirrel  
  
4 Siberian Huskies (White, Gray, Black, Gray/white) named Silver, River, Rain, and Sable  
  
and finally,  
  
2 Golden Retrievers (Obvously, yellow) named Meerkat, and Fluffy  
  
Heh, I nick-named my boyfriend Fluffers. Isn't that fun? ^-^  
  
Kenshin: Poor, poor boyfriend.  
  
Dove: *Growl* Don't MAKE me throw you back in the well!  
  
Kenshin: *Innocent whistling*  
  
Dove: *Happy cheer* YAY! My new Seventeen and Alloy Magazines have come in!  
  
Random Fans: *Cheer*  
  
Dove's Brother: I hate those magazines! You get them and become all obsessed!  
  
Dove: MOOOOOMMMMMMMMM!!!  
  
Dove's Mom: Get out of your sister's room!  
  
Dove's Brother: MOM! She's writing about me!  
  
Dove's Mom: Stop writing about your brother!  
  
Dove: *Sweatdrop*  
  
Doorbell: *Rings*  
  
Kenshin: *Answers*  
  
A dozen hyper dogs: *Race in an attack Dove cheerfully, fighting for a place on the bed.*  
  
Dove: Wouldn't you know that ALL of them would want to sleep on a 77-inch by 39-inch bed? *Groan* *Glares at dogs* WHERE AM ~I~ SUPPOSED TO SIT!?  
  
Sano: *Sneezes* Dove-chaaannn! I'm allergic to dogs!  
  
Dove: Idiot. You've been living in a house with two of them since the beginning of Dark!  
  
Sano: Oh. Blast.  
  
Dove: Heh. Okay. I'm sure these people are sick of hearing about our tribulations. So here goes chapter 12. By the way, who wants me to get rid of those filler chapters so that the chapter-ness will be true to.. uh.. truth? (A) for yes, (B) for no. ^-^  
  
Makoto Shishio grinned, as his rather evil-sounding laughter ended. His eyes lit upon Kaoru. Although how he managed that, Kaoru didn't know, considering that she was completely hidden by Battousai.  
  
"Well, what a pretty little bird." He said in a mocking tone. Kaoru tensed, her nails digging into Battousai's back.  
  
"Don't move." He whispered softly. "He can't actually see you, he can just sense your Ki." Kaoru relaxed her nails, but kept her grip on the back of his shirt.  
  
"Again I'll ask, Shishio. What do you want?" The man tapped his be-gloved hand on his shrouded chin.  
  
"Well, there are a lot of things I WANT.. but for right now I can settle for your life."  
  
"No.. you see, that doesn't really work for me."  
  
"Or me." Sano added in a serious tone. Kaoru had never seen him appear so.. focused. His eyes were narrow, and his entire body was tense.  
  
Who was this Shishio, who was capable of bringing out such a reaction in two normally calm men? She tensed a little herself, not sure what to expect. She peered out, his arms were tensed and away from his body so she could see through the space between his arm and his side without having the risk of being seen.  
  
"How are you going to stop me, exactly, rooster?" Asked the man in an amused tone. Kaoru bit her lip to keep herself from telling this man off with something akin to 'I'm the only one allowed to call Sano 'rooster' so shut up ugly!'. Fortunatly, she was not stupid. Contrary to popular belief.  
  
"Why you-"  
  
"Sano." That word brought the ruffian up short. He stepped back and fell silent. Kaoru was in awe of Battousai's ability to make someone do as he wanted with a single word. She remembered him using that nifty ability on her when she'd tried to run from him back at that mansion.  
  
It took her a moment to realize that she hadn't called that place 'home'. And another to realize that she didn't care.  
  
"What, now you're Battousai's lapdog?"  
  
"Shut up, Shishio." Battousai said, defending Sano with a growl.  
  
"Y'know.. I was considering duelling with you.. but I also want to get at Hiko Seijuro. Perhaps I should just have my men kill you, and then drop your dead body in front of his office." This time, it was Kaoru who felt a rush of hot anger flow through her.  
  
Did this man have no HONOR? Even Battousai did – he always fought one-on-one, with a weapon that gave his opponent a chance of fighting back. He just happened to be faster and more skilled than the people he killed.  
  
Did this make Battousai a murderer? Well.. yes.. it did. But he didn't have 'men' do his dirty work for him!  
  
As though sensing her anger, Battousai hissed her name softly. She did not make a move towards Shishio, as much as she would have liked to have slapped that knucklehead silly.  
  
"Well now, why leave my death on the hands of your little followers?" What happened next took place in a time span of mere seconds.  
  
One of the afore-mentioned 'little followers' raised his gun and started to squeeze the trigger. Kaoru grasped wildly behind her – Battousai didn't see it! There was no time to warn him!  
  
Her fingers closed around something hard and heavy. Without thinking, she chucked the bronzed statuette of the 'Paul Revere' scene at the attacker. It hit his hand, breaking at least six of the fragile bones.  
  
The man gave a shriek of pain and dropped the gun, falling to his knees and clutching his hand to himself.  
  
Kaoru had not even left the relative saftey of the area behind Battousai.  
  
"What is WRONG with you?" Shishio roared at the man. "I gave NO order to shoot, you ingrate!" He stared at the man who was almost unconcious with pain. "Although.." He mused, "I suppose it is a moot point now, considering that you never actually managed to fire."  
  
He lifted his head.  
  
"Well, Battousai, let's see the little bird hiding behind you, hmm?"  
  
Why did he keep referring to her as a 'little bird'? It was quite unnerving. Kaoru leaned her forehead against Battousai's back, terrified to look up.  
  
"I don't think so, Shishio." Kaoru heard the unmistakable sounds of about six guns being readied.  
  
"Move aside, Battousai." His voice did not lose one bit of it's amiability. Kaoru lifted her head to see that more men were pouring into the room and spreading out, holding guns up steadily, all trained on Battousai and Sano.  
  
Battousai shrugged, and stepped to the right. Not loosing her grip one bit, Kaoru stepped with him.  
  
Shishio let out a hiss of impatience.  
  
"Come on already, let's see you, girl!" Kaoru responded in a quite voice almost completely different from her normal tone.  
  
"Why, exactly, Shishio, do you need to see me?"  
  
"Just curosity. After all, you're the girl that Battousai has claimed for his own. One has to wonder what someone capable of being Battousai's looks like." Kaoru gasped, stiffening against Battousai's back.  
  
"What.. what do you..?"  
  
"Shut up, Shishio."  
  
"What, you haven't told her about that yet, Battousai? About the fact that you have claimed her as yours, thereby taking her freedom away? No, judging by her reaction, you haven't." He let loose with his laugh again.  
  
Kaoru shuddered, tears forming in her eyes. What did he mean? It wasn't possible for him to 'own' her! She was a sentinent being with a mind all her own and she was free to make choices as to who she wanted to be with! How dare he say such silly things!  
  
"Yes, Shishio. I haven't told her yet." It was TRUE! Kaoru released her hold on Battousai's shirt, backing away from him in shock, anger, and hurt. He was saying that it was true? He 'owned' her? She was 'his'?  
  
"No.." She whispered.  
  
Shishio could see her now. In his eyes, she was a pretty girl with a very strong Ki and an equally strong presence. And she was very, very upset. Poor little bird. That was what her Ki reminded him of, a little bird.  
  
"Why don't you come with me, my dear? I can assure you that no one will 'own' you." He extended a hand in invitation.  
  
But Sano chose then to step in. He took a firm grip on Kaoru's wrist – she'd actually taken a small step towards Shishio – and pulled her away from the evil man. She was very dazed, and mildly in shock.  
  
"Nice try, Shishio."  
  
"Back off, Zanza." He growled, and a few more guns trained on Sano. He laughed.  
  
"Oh come off it! I already know why you want this girl. Her father. He's pretty useful to you guys, isn't he? Our branch of the Syndicate has been warring with yours for over eleven years."  
  
"Ah, yes. Ever since YOUR people tried to burn me alive."  
  
"Didn't do to good a job of it, obviously. They were very sloppy back then. Would you like me to try again?" Sano smirked. His familiar, cocky voice brought Kaoru out of her stupor. She twisted her wrist out of his loose grip with a growl.  
  
He smiled at her.  
  
She scowled at him half-heartedly.  
  
"Glad to see you're awake again, Missy. You were about to head right back into your father's arms!"  
  
"Yeah, she was. Almost had her, too." Koshijirou Kamiya informed them, stepping into the room.  
  
"Mr. Kamiya! Didn't expect you so soon! That stupid rooster over there got in the way, or she'd already have been back to you."  
  
Kaoru stared at her father with huge eyes. He.. was.. coming back for her? Did he actually care that much about her? She felt butterflies beating in her stomach. Or was that her heart? Either way, it was an exhilarating feeling.  
  
"Well, just take her! They're just two men. Just make sure not to hurt them to much. Battousai has to be alive for us to be able to use her as a bargaining chip." The large man growled to Shishio, who hurriedly nodded.  
  
Kaoru felt her world collapse around her ears. Again. She started to sink back into the darkness.  
  
A hand on her shoulder stopped her. It was a firm but gentle grip that caused her eyes to open all of the way. Battousai smiled at her. She stared at him – he was SMILING? It was ludicrous. And yet.. there he was, smiling! At her! Everything became suddenly warmer.  
  
She realized that she wasn't actually angry at him for 'having' her. A little surprised, perhaps somewhat perplexed, but not angry. At least he would protect her. And from what she had gleaned from what he'd half-heartedly admitted, Battousai had given the bone marrow that had saved her life.  
  
"I would not have taken your freedom unless it was the only way to save-"  
  
"It's okay. I understand." She admitted.  
  
Right then would have been such a perfect time to kiss. Blast the bloody fates all to pieces.  
  
A few gunshots rang out. Battousai wrapped his arms around Kaoru and using his god-like speed avoided every bullet beautifully. Who ever said that no one could outrun a bullet?  
  
She made no move to free herself from his embrace, however he still let her go. He turned on the shooters.  
  
"That was just really stupid." He informed them. Normally, he would have no problem with someone shooting at him. Oh well, big deal. He could dodge with no effort. He really didn't mind people shooting at Sano, either. He had that nifty something-Kiwami thingy that he used, while ducking.  
  
But those morons were shooting at Kaoru as well! Highly unforgivable. She was in no way weak, but she didn't have his abilities and speed.  
  
In a blink, Battousai stood with both of his swords drawn. The Sakabatou was in his right hand, and the Wakizachi (A/N: I kind of don't remember the name of the companion sword.. I DID know it.. so I am just going to call it the Wakizachi. If anyone happens to know what it actually is, please tell me!) in his left hand.  
  
"Now which of you idiots let Battousai get to his swords?" Shishio asked in a tone that reminded Kaoru of a whining child.  
  
She watched as Battousai sliced clean through two of the men, using the swords like scissors. Sano crushed another's throat, and broke another's nose to the point that he drove it right into their brain. Not a pretty picture. In a matter of moments, four men were dead.  
  
It was strange, the rate that the life was extinguished. And it was just as strange, that the blood she saw didn't bother her. A few days ago, she would already be unconcious. But something was different now, and she wasn't affected. A little nauseas, but that was it.  
  
Cold steel touched her cheek, and hot leather wrapped around her shoulders in a grip almost as strong as Battousai's and just as unbreakable.  
  
"Hey!" She growled, and elbowed her assaliant as hard as she could in the stomach. Nothing. No grunt of pain, no 'woosh' of air, no reaction at all. She might as well have just stood there.  
  
Shishio dragged her out, sword still held at her neck. Battousai had noticed instantly, hearing her cry. But if he tried anything, she would be hurt.. or worse. Even his god-like speed couldn't solve everything.  
  
Koshijirou laughed hysterically as he followed Shishio and his daughter out. And then it was just Battousai, Sano, and 12 men otherwise known as 'Walking Dead'.  
  
A/N: *Groan* I have a Heeeaaadddaaaccchhhheeeee now!  
  
Silver: *Licks Dove's face*  
  
Dove: EWWW!!! *Shudders* I'm still sorta sick.. really tired..  
  
Kenshin: Then sleep!  
  
Dove: Did I mention that at the CDI, I will be trying to type up a new chapter every day during my lunch break? And guess what? I have to remember to record Kenshin every day until the 18th! I already got up while I was sick for a ½ an hour JUST to watch Kenshin.. it's really actually very sad.  
  
Okay, someone asked for an update schedule.  
  
Mon-Fri always, Saturday more likely than not, and Sunday if I'm not to exhausted on Saturday. Hopefully that narrows it down! ^_- The ONLY reasons that I won't update will be because I either am really sick, or I got grounded. I'm not usually sick, but I do tend to get grounded.. a lot.. but for the rest of the summer I should be updating religiously! ^-^  
  
I'm not even done with the 100 review party, and it's almost time for the 200 review party! Oh my! (Actually, I'm writing this Saturday night and checking my mail Sunday morning, so it may well ALREADY be time for the 200 review party! *Pretends to be mad*) (Oh, yeah, and I just hit 200 reviews. I'm sorta in shock..)  
  
Sano: Great, now that THAT is said, will you PLEASE go to bed before you pass out? You're all shakey and stuff. And your face is really pale.  
  
Kenshin: PLEASE, Dove-chan?  
  
Dove: Mhhkkaayy.. *Conks out*  
  
Sano and Kenshin: Finally! *Sigh of relief*  
  
Fluffy: Hope it wasn't TO bad of a cliffhanger.. Dove-chan wouldn't want to keep anyone  
  
(1) Up At Night  
  
(2) Preoccupied At Work  
  
(3) Testy With Friends And Relatives Because Said Person Feels An Unrequited Anger At The Authoress  
  
(4) From Bribing Aforementioned Authoress!! ^_-  
  
Kushinadahime – Thanks for telling me! I hope I didn't offend you or anything with out meaning to!  
  
EvilLaughingTalkingWall – Lol!  
  
Who-Ever-Gave-Me-The-Frappachino(Sorry, my comp deleted the review notification and it isn't on the review page yet) – Thanks!^-^  
  
Koniko-Chan – Lol! Thanks! Of course you can! *Grins at Kenshin evilly*  
  
Conscience Fairy – *Life just got better* Kay!  
  
Kurokumo – Lol. Okay then.. nope, at an 'e' in front of the 'u', it's Leukemia. ^-^  
  
flyinangel777@yahoo.com – Thanks!  
  
TaioraCrazedGirl – Alright, thanks. Yeah, I get the idea. ^_-  
  
Nanikilover/Brukaoru – Actually.. you've already gone about 6 over what I needed. Lol.  
  
Wolf – I might have remedied that. We will see. ^-^  
  
AzNfRiSbEeDrAgOn – Great bribe! Lol. Oh, forgot about the personal servant/Dog Groomers. Lol!  
  
CurlsofSerenity - *Laughs hysterically and starts to cheer up from break-down due to upcoming lack of Kenshin*  
  
Emilie - .. I dunno .. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen

A/N: Hullo. Does anyone have/know of any Inuyasha fics that basically center around Sesshomarou kidnapping Kagome? I dunno why, but I find those fics to be pretty fun to read. Lol.  
  
Kenshin: I thought you liked me?  
  
Dove: I do. I just like Inuyasha, too.  
  
Sano: I like Fluffers. *Horrified* DID I JUST SAY THAT??!?  
  
Dove: Heh! How fun. ^-^  
  
Sano: *GRUMBLE*  
  
Dove: Has anyone else read that fic about Kenshin being an Icari? I don't remember the name.. But if you haven't read it, read it! You should be able to find it on Page 2 of the fics in Kenshin. Lesse.. What else.. Ooh! And if you haven't already, read 'WHEN THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU' by Chiki. It's really fantastic. What else can I advertise.. OOH! Read the Seyruun High Jinx trilogy by Frog and Rat! (Kaeru Shisho) It's really great. And 'The Exorcist's Closet' by the same people. It's at fiction press, though.  
  
Kenshin: Why are you doing this again?  
  
Dove: Because I'm to tired to write a creative author note.  
  
Sano: I wanna write it!  
  
Kenshin: …  
  
Dove: Okay!  
  
Sano: ^-^ I like author notes! I love chocolate. *Munching on chocolate-covered raisins* Yumm.. HEY! *Ends up being chased around by a rabid squirrel.  
  
Dove: *Laughing hysterically and recording everything.*  
  
Kenshin: Oro.. Oh yeah, and she still doesn't own us! She also doesn't own that song that Kaoru sang a long time ago. She forgot to say that. ^-^  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Thirteen  
  
'The Walking Dead', Battousai's personal nickname for any person who crossed him. He readied his swords.  
  
A collective gulps went through the remaining eight people of the group. Guns or no, Battousai was mad and their official grim reaper. It was obvious in his feline eyes.  
  
His strikes were swift. The few bullets fired flew harmlessly through empty air. Blood sprayed the walls, reminding him of an early spring shower. Sano stayed back, he didn't want to be mistaken for an enemy.  
  
Battousai was angry. Calling it anything less would be an underestimation. As it was, 'Angry' was a pretty hefty understatement.  
  
"You KNEW that the Jupon Gattana was planning a strike? AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME?" He growled.  
  
Hiko flinched a little. He was powerful, but no match for a fully armed, royally ticked off shadow assassin.  
  
"Well, you see, Battousai, we didn't tell you because we needed them to take her. We need to find their base of operations, or at least one of their warehouses! That way we can take it out and eliminate a part of our enemy's forces." Battousai's eyes seemed to glow from under his fringe of red bangs.  
  
"So you put her in danger-"  
  
"I assure you, Battousai, she is perfectly safe." At the skeptical look he got, he added, "We had Megumi add a few extras. She inserted a powerful tracking device into the base of her neck, a special listening device behind her ear, and a relatively clear visual device just underneath her right eye. We can see her and hear and we know where she is at all times. So, in other words, she is perfectly safe." Battousai just glared at him. Hiko forced a smile.  
  
"Where is she." He'd gone back to his old habit of almost-asking-a-question. He was angry. Battousai understood what they were trying to do - but why were they putting Kaoru in so much danger?  
  
"Well now I don't want you barging-"  
  
"WHERE is she, Hiko? I owe you nothing, and I can kill you right now just as easily as I could kill any other moron. Answer me."  
  
Hiko half-smiled.. It came out as more of a grimace.  
  
"Remember what I said, Battousai? About if she comes between you and your job? Well, I can safely say-"  
  
"You know what, Hiko?" He felt a surge of anger going through him. She was HIS, not Hiko's. The ludicrous man sitting before him had no right to use her in such a way without his permission. And he was sick of it. Everyone preyed on Kaoru. She was so fragile..  
  
And she was his.  
  
No one else's.   
  
HIS.  
  
Didn't Hiko know what Shishio would do to her? Battousai did. And he would NOT let him.  
  
"I don't care WHAT you feel safe to say. I care about a better Tokyo. Yes, getting rid of Shishio will probably bring this about faster. However, I also care about this girl. Yes, I will admit it. And right now she means more to me than Tokyo OR you. So tell me where she is RIGHT now, or I will kill you and find out myself."  
  
  
  
Hiko was in shock. Battousai had never spoken to him in such a manner. Yet his voice was very, very cold. He seemed to consider him an enemy. His eyes held a cold, calculating look. He seemed ready to do a Battou-Jutsu of words. It was almost amusing to think about.  
  
"Well, Battousai, how about we compromise?" Battousai glared at him steadily, not indicating whether he was willing to accept the proposal or skewer his boss. "Lets watch, and see how your friend is doing, before we go racing to heroics?"  
  
He looked at him for a moment longer, before slowly nodded his consent.  
  
"Alright. Let's go." He followed Hiko to a small door that seemed to lead into a storage room. Once the door was open, Battousai saw a rather large and light room laid out before him.  
  
The cotton was a grayish-white and the walls matched. Focused along an entire wall was a huge TV screen, and small speakers. He raised an eyebrow, taking in the room in an almost disinterested fashion as he took a seat on one of the large, soft armchairs.  
  
It didn't look like they were about to watch a kidnapped girl interact with her kidnappers, It actually looked more like they were about to watch an action movie or something. He wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest if Hiko suddenly pulled out a bucket of popcorn.  
  
The screen flicked on with an ominous noise, and Battousai's eyes riveted on the scene before him.  
  
**  
  
Kaoru glared at the two men across from her. Her father and Shishio were riding in a limo of some sort, she was riding in the back of a refitted van. There were two guards, and plenty of guns. Each guard had two guns, semi-automatics, in each hand.  
  
She was not tied up or anything - obviously she wasn't expected to try anything stupid like trying to overpower two heavily armed guards. Not that she could or would.. But still.  
  
She was plenty mad. Just the fact that she'd been taken against her will boiled her blood. She was not in any way a happy girl. And how did she deal with this?  
  
By being annoying as humanly possible.  
  
She talked about anime.  
  
"And, you see, I really did love Inuyasha and I was so mad when they took him off the very first night I'd get to see him in a month! I mean, who wants to see 'space ghost' or 'captain planet' in the place of that incredible show. I mean, the Shikon No Tama was like totally not even close to being complete! And I really wanted to see Inuyasha go full Youkai. I mean, if he could kick so much butt as a Hanyou, it's almost hard to imagine him being able to kick MORE butt, and I never even got to meet Sesshomarou. I don't know what his voice sounds like or-"  
  
"WOULD YOU SHUT THE-" A honking horn blared for a moment, "UP! We don't care! And we're armed! And unless you shut up we're gonna start shooting, starting with the kneecaps!"  
  
Kaoru started to hum the 'I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves' classic cheerfully.  
  
**  
  
"Where are they taking her?"  
  
"If I knew THAT Battousai, she'd already be rescued." Hiko growled.  
  
"Why don't you just get her out and shadow them back when they run away tail-between-legs?"  
  
"Because that is NOT the plan. Like I said, if they actually start to hurt her I'll get her out, okay? But right now that stupid song is GRATING on my NERVES."  
  
"I don't care." Battousai was listening carefully to the humming. Something was weird - she was humming differently. Pausing, adding something, starting again. He listened very, very closely.  
  
::I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,  
  
Everybody's nerves,  
  
EVERYBODY'S nerves.  
  
I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves.  
  
And this is how it goes.  
  
I know you're listening,  
  
Megumi told me,  
  
I'm okay,  
  
They won't hurt me,  
  
They want to get to you Battousai.  
  
I know a song..::  
  
How did she know to ask Megumi? Perhaps she did know a thing or two. Clever girl, they'd be so busy blocking out her humming that they wouldn't be listening to it.  
  
"Alright. They aren't going to hurt her."  
  
"How do you know that, Battousai, or is there a talent you'd like to share with me?"  
  
"Megumi told her about your nifty new improvements. And she knows what they want - I hope. If they hurt her, I am going to kill Koshijirou and then I am going after Shishio. I don't care what you want or what you order. Clear?"  
  
"Yes." Hiko had a secretive smile. Had Battousai noticed it, he might have wondered whether or not Hiko had been HOPING for him to say that.  
  
**  
  
The van stopped, finally. She was 'escorted' out. Shishio and her father waited for her. It was funny, how she couldn't help but call him her father as pure as her hatred for him was.  
  
Everything seemed sort of ominous. How strange. Shishio was looking at her funny.  
  
"Couldn't I just..?" Kaoru stared at them in confusion. Koshijirou stared at her almost loathingly for a moment.  
  
"Just don't kill her." Was all he said before he walked off. Kaoru felt a wave of terror hit her. Shishio was going to do something to her. She didn't know what, but she really wasn't interested in finding out. She was between the two guards. It was them, her, and Shishio. She tensed imperceptibly.  
  
Her fists lashed out in the classic 'hit the guys in the nose as hard as possible at the same time and then run for it' move. And it worked. Both of them dropped like bags of potatoes. It would have been funny to her, had she not spun on her heel and taken off the instant that her fists connected.  
  
Shishio was in front of her in an instant. Immediately, Kaoru tried to stop all forward motion and go the other way. Unfortunately, not only did karma have completely different ideas, but gravity did as well. She ran straight into his arms.  
  
He had a very powerful grip for such a thin figure. Of course, so did Battousai, as she remembered.  
  
He closed his arms roughly around her shoulders, squeezing tight enough to cause her breath to catch in her throat. She gave a tiny gasp of pain, that was all she could manage.  
  
"I'm so much faster than you, Miss Kamiya." He informed her pleasantly. He didn't loosen his grip around her shoulders, even when she attempted to hit him, to knock him off. He just moved his grip down a little bit, so that her arms were pinned.  
  
The only option left to her was punishing his shins viciously with her feet, and she did so with a vengeance. He didn't seem to notice.  
  
His arms were really hot, almost burning, as she noticed. She felt sweat beading her forehead as she finally ran out of energy to fight him. She was completely trapped. She sighed, hating the feeling of weakness. She put as much HATE as she could into that one sound.  
  
Shishio just smiled.  
  
"I really don't care what you think about me." He informed her with an amused tone.  
  
"Let..go!" She gasped. He just laughed.  
  
Kaoru's head got light. Pain numbed her thoughts. And then she blacked out.  
  
**  
  
"He's hurting her!"  
  
"Just touching her doesn't constitute 'hurting' her." They watched as the screen drooped. Obviously Kaoru had passed out.  
  
"Oh REALLY?" Battousai growled.  
  
"He hasn't ACTUALLY done anything yet. Stay." Battousai sighed and did as ordered. Regretting as he sat down. He KNEW something was going to happen to her. Shishio was an evil man. And he was not evil for perhaps some revenge, like being burned alive. He used that as an excuse, but it wasn't the real reason. He liked people's pain. He liked to see people cry, to hear their cries of pain. Especially women, women with strength and presence. He liked to shatter their spirit. And Kaoru had a lot of spirit.  
  
**  
  
Kaoru woke up to a feeling of constriction. There was no other way to put it. She opened her eyes and saw that she was, in fact, bound. Her arms were chained to a wall. But that was it and did nothing to explain why she felt so trapped.  
  
She figured that it was probably just an effect of knowing that she was a prisoner.  
  
After a few minutes of talking to herself about the joys of breathing, she heard a door opening. She looked up and saw Shishio.  
  
"Let me out-" He hit her. It was a complete shock, so unexpected that it momentarily stunned her.  
  
"No talking." He hissed.  
  
"I don't listen-" He hit her again, and this time she tasted blood. Her eyes narrowed. "I'm NOT going to be quiet." Again, he backhanded her.  
  
"I said no talking."  
  
"Three blind mice, three blind mice." She sang defiantly. He struck her once more, seeming to enjoy the momentary pain that flitted across her features.  
  
But Kaoru wasn't going to be silenced. He was going to hit her for talking? Fine, she'd just keep talking. He wanted her to be quiet. And she didn't like him.  
  
Kaoru had a sudden whim to have Fluffers. The look on Shishio's face would have been totally priceless.  
  
"You know what, I don't like cotton. I'm allergic to certain types. Isn't it fun?" This time he made a fist. Kaoru's head rebounded off of the stone wall she suddenly discovered behind her. Stars danced in front of her eyes for a moment. It hurt. A little. Just some. Naw, she was lying to herself. It hurt like.. Well.. Actually, she couldn't describe what it hurt like. But she was sure that it was going to leave a bruise. Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.  
  
She stayed silent now. His slapping her had been pretty funny, but he had a left jab capable of taking down an African Elephant at full charge.  
  
She saw a glimmer out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head back. Her eyes grew large at the sight of a knife.  
  
"Lets have a little fun, Kaoru, shall we?"  
  
A/N: I'm sorry it took me so long. I've been really tired and kinda busy. I'm sure y'all will be very happy to know that I typed this entire chapter on a laptop worth 2,ooo dollars. Fun, neh?  
  
Kenshin: I'm tired.  
  
Dove: YOU'RE tired? I'm sitting here at 11:18 watching Trigun. AND THEY TOOK INUYASHA OFF! ARGGGHHHH!!!! IN ONE DAY THEY MANAGED TO TAKE RUROUNI KENSHIN OFF AND INUYASHA! AARRRGGGHHHH!!!!!!  
  
Kenshin: Umm. Okay..  
  
Sano: I think she's gone off the deep end.  
  
Dove: UNIX, UNIX, C++. Yay yay. Hee hee! ^-^  
  
Sano: WHAT is she talking about?  
  
Kenshin: That CDI thing. They're doing C++ and UNIX programming and stuff.  
  
Sano: So.. Yeah. Okay then..  
  
Kenshin: Yeah..  
  
Dove: I'm so tired.. KENSHIN!  
  
Kenshin: WHAT?!  
  
Dove: Read the review replies, I'm going to bed!  
  
Kenshin: Oh, okay. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

A/N: *Sniffle* Oh! I'm like, totally in shock!  
  
Kenshin: *With an annoyed groan* Why?  
  
Dove: I just read one of Baka-Ryu's fics.. and (I dunno what gender you are, so I'm just gonna stick with they) they said the kindest most wonderfullest thing!  
  
Kenshin: And that was?  
  
Dove: *Reading aloud* I will also give credit to DoveofNight, who wrote one of the best Battousai fics I've ever read. Thank you Dove for your inspiration. Isn't that just WONDERFUL?  
  
Kenshin: Um. Yeah.  
  
Dove: *Glaring suddenly at the computer screen* And Baka-Ryu, WHY didn't you tell me that you wrote a fic? I mean, gosh! I found it accidentally! *Still glaring* You must tell me when you update. Yup yup yup. And *MORE GLARING* Update soon! *Happy face* Hee hee! It's a good fic!!  
  
Kenshin: You're clinically insane.  
  
Dove: *Clicking through reviews* And you're clincally dead. YOU DIDN'T READ THE REVIEW RESPONSES YOU MORON!  
  
Kenshin: I couldn't find them!  
  
Dove: Look behind you.  
  
Kenshin: *Looks at wall with huge paper with 'REVIEW RESPONSES' written on the top in red ink and highlighted with something flourescent.  
  
Sano: *Smirk* *Just put the paper back up*  
  
Kenshin: But! But!  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
Shishio advanced on her painstakingly slowly, with the knife held in the casual way of an experienced knifer. It was a thick, large switchblade.  
  
And the instant it touched her skin Kaoru knew it was going to hurt. A lot. So she tried as hard as she could to prevent any contact between her and the knife. How unfortunate that she was chained.  
  
The blade caressed her right palm gently, before changing direction and slicing. It laid the skin open from her wrist to her elbow. But it wasn't deep enough to slit the vein.  
  
Kaoru gave a gasp of pain, but did not react in any other way. She knew from the malevolent look on his face that Shishio enjoyed seeing people in pain. Blood dripped off of her elbow, hot and rather annoying.  
  
But she still didn't faint.  
  
Kaoru could not, for the life of her, understand why. She'd fainted from the sight of blood for as long as she could remember. But now she didn't. Talk about weird.  
  
The knife repeated it's graceful move on the other arm, cauing Kaoru to bite her cheek against crying out.  
  
**  
  
"Hiko. Does THIS COUNT AS HIM HURTING HER?!" Battousai snarled, his voice raising somewhat. Hiko nodded. He'd scarcely finished the movement when Battousai was halfway out the door.  
  
"You might like the address, Battousai?"  
  
**  
  
Blood was everywhere. At this point, the scent of it was twisting Kaoru's stomach, and the sight was making her dizzy. She'd be lucky if her 'thing about blood' didn't come back.  
  
She felt screaming pain.. well, everywhere. She didn't know if there was a place where she WOULDN'T feel that torturous burning.  
  
And yet she refused to cry out.  
  
That would mean Shishio was going to win.  
  
With a silly distintrest, Kaoru noted that she was very hungry and Miso soup sounded really good. Maybe Shishio would put down the knife for a food-break?  
  
The heck?  
  
He was kneeling in front of her. Kaoru's eyes narrowed hazily. She kind of wished that she could have fainted, but somehow Shishio knew just how to prevent that.  
  
Thnot hot blade touched her right cheek. In three swift sweeps, there were three deep and bloody gashes on Kaoru's face. One along the very point she would put blush on, one across the middle of her cheek, and one almost even with her mouth. The two near her nose stopped just shy of touching it and the one near her mouth had the same effect. They vanished into her hairline.  
  
Shishio repeated the action on the other side.  
  
WHAT was he doing?  
  
"Would you KNOCK that off?" She hissed, and gained a slit across her shoulder for her troubles.  
  
Everything was getting, in a nutshell, swirly.  
  
And right then the door choose to spontaniously leap off of it's hinges.  
  
**  
  
Battousai was ticked. He could smell her blood to the point where almost every other scent was masked.  
  
She was dangling so weakly from the chains on her wrists. He expected her to be kicking at Shishio. She wasn't.  
  
And he'd cut her up so much. The cuts were going to leave scars. Especially the gashes on her face.  
  
**  
  
Kaoru felt a surge of relief upon seeing Battousai. It was strange, associating him with safety.  
  
"Kenshin.." She whispered and smiled. She'd held out for him. She'd fought the other personalities with everything she had. Thank goodness she was the strongest. And he was there. No more pain. She hoped.  
  
Battousai and Shishio wasted no time 'leaping into battle'. How unfortunate that just before Shishio got whooped, he had sudden urgent business.  
  
He didn't care what Shishio did. He raced to Kaoru, and after some work manged to free her. She smiled up at him weakly.  
  
"I knew you'd.. come." She whispered just before she blacked out.  
  
**  
  
"It went precisely as you planned it, Mr. Watsuki."  
  
"I'm glad. I'm sure he'll be visiting you soon, Mr. Hiko. Go get ready."  
  
"Yes, Sir."  
  
Watsuki Nobuhiro (I hope I spelled that right. The owner of the Rurouni Kenshin series? If I'm a total moron just lemme know!) made a steeple out of his fingers. It was playing out correctly. It was almost time to show a few more cards of his hand.  
  
A/N: I'm sorry this wasn't to fantastic. I'm sooo tired. Suffering from sleep deprivation. I was literally falling asleep as I wrote this. So it's a little short.  
  
Kenshin: No kidding.  
  
Dove: You know what? I AM TIRED. So SHUT UP and read the review responses this time! *Collapses*  
  
Sano: she okay?  
  
Kenshin: *Shrug* I think so. Just tired. Her eyes are all crossed.. it's funny. Now where's that list?  
  
Angie - Lol! Yes, it is kinda hard to make the secondary/almost main character die. Lol.  
  
flyinangel777@yahoo.com - I'm much better now, and thank you!  
  
Kurokumo - Yup. Lol.  
  
Conscience Fairy - Heh. Don't worry. I just needed him for a little while! ^_-  
  
Koniko-chan - Lol. Do feel free! ^-^(My mom banned me from the well, anyways! ^_-)  
  
Kushinadahime - Thanks! ^-^  
  
Evillaughingtalkingwall - Lol!! ^-^  
  
LadyChrisA - *In stitches*  
  
Pidge - Thanks  
  
Sarah - Yeah.. true..  
  
Chris - Yes, she does. Remember when she tried to stab him? Lol  
  
CrazyFireKitsuneGirl - Okay-dokay.  
  
Koniko-chan - *Stares* How did you find my house? *Scared* ^-^  
  
Fire - Thanks!  
  
Kunasayo - As you command.  
  
Moonblossom - Thanks! I'm looking forward to going more in-depth about that.  
  
Fire - Lol!!  
  
Moonblossom - Thanks. Yeah, she's better now. From one thing.  
  
Angie - Two words, Thank you! ^-^  
  
Nanikilover/Brukaoru - Oh, thank you! I couldn't think of any other way for him to describe her and then he popped up on my shoulder and told me what to put. I have enough to deal with having Kenshin and Sano in my house so I quickly squished him and then used his idea. Lol!  
  
MysticGohan - Lol. Yeah, at some point in the sugar rush staring at ceilings gets boring  
  
Sailor Scout Buddy - Thanks!  
  
Kurokumo - I know how you feel. *Nod*  
  
Luna Angel - Thanks!  
  
L3al3yanime - You'll see, and here ya go  
  
Evillaughingtalkingwall - Heehee. I know how you feel.  
  
flyinangel777@yahoo.com - Thanks. Yup.  
  
Kyia Star - Yeah, but I have TWELVE of 'em. ^-^  
  
CurlsofSerenity - *Giggles hysterically* Well, at least you didn't launch a main character. It took me hours to get Kenshin back down! ^_-  
  
XP-DarkAngel - Hee hee!  
  
Innocence - No, not of the DID. She just reverted back to her original host personality.  
  
Ferai - Okay.. umm.. I have never seen the Samurai X movie despite many desperate attempts to do so. ^-^'  
  
Baka-Ryu - *Shudder* That's a great picture. Luckily all 12 dogs growl at them if they come at my bed and there's literally no way to touch the computer without at least leaning over my bed. MWAHAHAHAHA.  
  
Glory230 - Okay! ^-^  
  
The Squirrel - Lol! Okay, thanks! ^-^  
  
LadyChrisA - *Munching on apple pie* Thanks!  
  
Natareikura - I dunno if I'll actually get around to emailing you.. lol.. I'll try. More romance.. yes, that is coming. It's just going to take a bit of time.  
  
Nezumi Chan - Lol! Thanks!  
  
Jurie - Lol! I'm glad you think it's such a big deal. It's weird, to think that you consider it exciting that I reviewed your story. Lol. Okay, now go write the next chapter of EoA!! *GLARE*  
  
Daine - Thank you!  
  
Fire - Yeah. Stupid CN. GRRR. Here's 14!  
  
CurlsofSerenity - *wince* Ouch..  
  
Vanilla Bean - Thank you, and I already knew. ^_- I'm a very devout fan..  
  
Chris - MWAHAHAHAHAHA.. *cough*  
  
Baka-Ryu - Lol!! *A little afraid of the mentioned 'mom'.*  
  
Nanikilover/Brukaoru - Heh. He will.. in due time..  
  
Angie - Yes, Sky Dweller is really good. I'm totally entranced by it. Lol.  
  
Saiya Winters - Woah.. thanks..  
  
Kurokumo - *Shudder* I'm running on 4 hours of sleep. *Twitch* After running on 3 and 5 hours of sleep for the last two days. Trigun is cool.  
  
Koniko-chan - You'll see.. heh..  
  
Daine - ^-^  
  
Beeba - Thanks.. and yeah I totally agree..  
  
XD-DarkAngel - Oh. Okay. *Worried*  
  
MysticGohan - Um.. okay.. *.*  
  
Conscience Fairy - Heh ^-^  
  
Wolf - Yeah. I agree completely.  
  
AzNfRiSbEeDrAgOn - Yeah, thanks. I'm getting much better at C++. I know what most of the tags are now. Lol.  
  
Kyia Star - Heh.  
  
AzNfRiSbEeDrAgOn - Yep. I'm glad you liked it. ^-^  
  
Aryanne - Yeah, I totally agree.  
  
Okay, I have to go to CDI again. See y'all! ^-^ 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Dark  
  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
A/N: I actually don't have a lot to say in this one.. Kenshin is off getting ready for the next fic(s), and Sano is off drinking Sake. Soujiro moved in because he read what I wrote about Shishio and decided that he didn't like Shishio anymore.  
  
So now I have three boarders.  
  
And my mom doesn't know about any of them.  
  
My life sucks.  
  
Soujiro: Just smile. They'll never suspect anything.  
  
Dove: But.. ah.. I don't care if they know.  
  
Soujiro: o.o Oh.  
  
Dove: Watashi wa Dove Desu!  
  
Soujiro: Hullo, Dove.  
  
Dove: I'm so happy. I know some Japanese! I just said 'I'm Dove' in a nutshell! HEEHEE!  
  
Soujiro: *Mumble* And they think that I'M insane..  
  
Kenshin stared down at the unconcious girl in his arms. She was covered in sticky blood. Mostly, blood didn't bother him. But her blood made him sick to his stomach. He didn't like the feeling.  
  
She was very badly cut. However, she would heal. He saw tears running down her face. They mixed with the blood and made her look as though she was crying blood. He felt pure rage. His eyes were tinged with red, giving him a seriously blood-thirsty look.  
  
If he couldn't kill Shishio right then, he would kill Koshijirou. The thought of Kaoru's dissaproving face didn't stop the thought at all. He was mad. Furious. In fact, words couldn't describe exactly how angry he was.  
  
He picked her up gingerly, as though afraid of hurting her even though she was unconcious.  
  
Completely ignoring the fact that her blood was rapidly covering him, he walked out of the house.  
  
**  
  
Kaoru's eyes opened very slightly. Battousai had picked her up. He was walking.  
  
Pain was causing her an inability of speech and movement. She couldn't breath very well, either.  
  
Her face stung more than everything. The gashes were so deep.. she already knew that she wouldn't heal properly. At least Battousai wasn't the only one with a scar on his face.  
  
And she had six.  
  
She saw Battousai take a phone out of his pocket and say a few words. She couldn't understand them. And then she felt her world fall away again.  
  
**  
  
"I have Kaoru. She needs medical attention. Send Megumi. I'm going back in. She'll be in my car." And he hung up. He felt her muscles tense for a few moments, but as he finished speaking she went limp again.  
  
He placed her gingerly in the back of his car, stretching her out. And then he went back in.  
  
Good thing he had his swords.  
  
**  
  
In no time, Battousai found Koshijirou. The man was lounging in a comfortable room, sipping a glass of scotch, and laughing with two others.  
  
"Yeah, Shishio should be done in a few minutes. She'll still be alive, I made sure of that." He was saying with a barking laugh.  
  
One of the younger men looked nervous, and somewhat freaked out.  
  
"But.. Mr. Koshijirou, how could you do such a thing to a girl like her? She's so small and delicate.. I don't get it. Isn't she your daughter?"  
  
Battousai was intrested now. So he stayed in the shadows to listen.  
  
"Well, Soujiro, you see you're wrong there." His interest was really Piqued at this point. "She is not my daughter. I adopted her."  
  
Soujiro stared at him and opened his mouth to ask another question.  
  
"She was the daughter of some very rich and powerful people. They died, and she was put up for adoption. A very nice sum of about 659 million dollars, along with a large amount of land with a huge and very expensive house on it, is coming to her when she is 21. However, if she is to go insane or in any other way be unable to take care of this trust.. it goes to me as her adoptive father."  
  
"So.. she didn't kill her mother being born?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"So the only reason that you took her in was to take the money?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
"Why don't you just kill her?"  
  
"Apparently her parents were quite paranoid. They made it so that if she died of accident or murder before she recieved her inheritence or within four years of getting it, it all went to charity."  
  
"So that's why you did what you did."  
  
"Yes. But instead of committing suicide - which would have made everything so much easier, she-"  
  
"Did lose her mind, however it wasn't the way you wanted." Battousai had heard more than enough. He walked out of the shadows in all of his furious glory. His burning eyes made every man in that room feel somewhat dizzy. And a lot terrified.  
  
Soujiro looked surprised, but the look was fleeting and then his face went passive and a smile stretched across it.  
  
"She created other 'hers'. She made multiple personalities to put up with your abuse. How on earth could you do such a thing? When Megumi went about the transfusion that saved Kaoru's life, she found evidence of old broken bones and a few faded scars. Beating up on a child is probably the most disgusting thing you could do."  
  
Only Koshijirou seemed to recover properly.  
  
"Oh, really? And what do you call what you do?"  
  
"Murder." Battousai responded smoothly, emotionlessly. His golden orbs glared into Koshijirou's less fierce eyes. "However, I have never killed an enemy younger than eighteen. I have never killed a sleeping enemy. And I have never once struck a helpless child!"  
  
He saw that Soujiro seemed to be agreeing with his every word. And the look of disgust on his face and in his eyes when he looked at Koshijirou was probably the only thing that saved him.  
  
In a second, the man sitting next to Soujiro was dead, a gash across his chest. Battousai leveled his sword at Koshijirou, not even looking at Soujiro.  
  
"Koshijirou Kamiya. I am here for your life." Kamiya stood, and moved with surprising speed. He snatched a Kodachi off of a rack on the mantle of the fireplace.  
  
Did he honestly think that Battousai couldn't get through the defense of a Kodachi? Poor man.  
  
But Battousai wanted to toy with him some.  
  
He was not going to let him die quickly, after what he did to Kaoru.  
  
He still couldn't figure out why it was that he was falling for her. And so, of course, the omnipresent voice added it's opinion on the matter.  
  
'It's because she's so innocent. The completely unsheilded, ungaurded nature of her eyes intruiges you.' Stupid voice, always having a point. Battousai smirked evilly at Koshijirou and unshielded his eyes for a mere second before returning to him impassive gaze.  
  
In that single second, Koshijirou knew that he was going to die. There was no way around it. The expression in Battousai's eyes had made that obvious.  
  
There were many emotions in that one look. Hate, Rage, Pity, and Disgust. And blood lust.  
  
Koshijirou shuddered and held the Kodachi up in shaking hands. Battousai was in his face before Koshijirou even knew what hit him. A diagonal cut appeared on his chest. The blade split in two. He stared with shock at the clattering blade and then up at Battousai. Why hadn't the shadow assassin killed him?  
  
And with dawning horror he realized exactly why.  
  
The cat-and-mouse game continued for over twenty minutes. Battousai barely noticed the passage of time, all of his energies were focused on Koshijirou.  
  
Finally, he ended the game. He didn't feel that Koshijirou had been 'punished' enough for what he'd done to Kaoru.. but he was going to let a higher power decide now.  
  
With a swish of the blade, it was over.  
  
His eyes narrowed on Soujiro. The young man - Now Battousai realized to his mild surprise that Soujiro wasn't even a man, just a boy a little younger than Kaoru - looked positivly terrified. And within reason. But then the look changed in an impassive smile once again.  
  
"You. You are coming with me." Soujiro stared at him. "Don't make me repeat myself, boy. Unless you want to end up as dead as your two comrades there, come on." The boy stood and followed Battousai out the door wordlessly.  
  
**  
  
Megumi Takani found Kaoru in Battousai's car as he'd promised. Her blood was everywhere - that was going to stain.  
  
She had been severely cut. Luckily Battousai hadn't been stupid enough to mess with the wounds. She hoisted the girl out of the car, quickly and efficiently caring for her wounds.  
  
Just as she was finishing up, Battousai came walking out of the building. Well, she wouldn't call it walking. Wait, yes, she would. He wasn't floating or anything. But he wasn't walking. Or was he? Perhaps 'storming' was a good description word.  
  
A boy came up behind him, expressionless with a fake smile pasted on his face that did not reach his eyes at all. He just stood there, looking at Kaoru and then Megumi and then Battousai with his cold eyes.  
  
"How is she?" Battousai asked in a tone that suggested he was expecting the worst. Megumi was more than relieved that her news was completely unlike what he'd been expecting.  
  
"She's fine. Nothing did real permanent damage. And with my EXPERT care, she should only have a few scars. The ones on the face are to deep to repair with no scarring. And a couple on her arms. The ones on her right wrist, right here. He liked to make the deep ones in groups of three, I assume?"  
  
((Okay, right here I want to admit it. I'm taking the scars off of Inuyasha. Y'know, Sesshomaru? Well, he has the 3-on-each-side markings on his face and then three stripes on his right wrist. I'm not sure if he has them on the other one. But she only has them on her right wrist. Yes, I know I'm a very sad person. Lol. I'm TOTALLY not creative. Not a'tall. I think. Okay, obviously I'm somewhat creative since I'm just about to hit 300 reviews..))  
  
"I guess so, when will she wake up?"  
  
"Soon, I suppose."  
  
"Good. Lets get going then. You, boy, in the car." Battousai laid Kaoru in the backseat again, after putitng his duster between the still-wet blood and her.  
  
Soujiro obeyed, sitting uneasily in the passenger side seat.   
  
"Here's some pain killers. Take 2 for pain. Only ever 4 hours." Battousai nodded and took the pills.  
  
Megumi waved as they left, and then wandered off to answer another call.  
  
**  
  
"Why didn't you kill me while you had the chance?"  
  
"I took a look at your eyes. I saw the expression and decided that you should live. After all, if that man next to you hadn't look so pleased I wouldn't have killed him." Soujiro nodded silently.  
  
"What's your name?"  
  
"What's yours."  
  
"Soujiro Seta. You?"  
  
"Hitokiri Battousai."  
  
"A pleasure, Mr. Battousai. I assume that's Kaoru Kamiya?"  
  
"Yes." Mumbled an absent voice. Battousai put every ounce of self-control he had into not spinning to see her. Instead he settled for glancing in the mirror. She was pale and looked sick, but she was up on one elbow. Megumi must have pumped her full of pain-killers.  
  
"Kaoru?" He wanted to make sure. The apartment building came into sight.  
  
"Hmm." She informed him tiredly.  
  
He almost smiled. The corners of his mouth twitched.  
  
They drove into the parking garage and he parked. Turning off the car, he got out. Soujiro obeyed the unspoken command, shutting his door almost as quietly as Battousai. The assassin reached into the back and helped Kaoru out.  
  
She was a lot more trusting of him, and comfortable around him now. But she still held a healthy wariness of him. Good for her.  
  
He took them both up to the apartment, and helped Kaoru onto the couch. He took his favorite seat, and Soujiro just stood looking lost until Battousai pointed to an empty chair.  
  
The door burst open.  
  
A/N: Augh.. Kuso. The plot has gone far, far away. I can't think of ANYTHING! Any of you nifty reviewers out there got any ideas for me? What would you like to see?  
  
My friend has kinda forced me to write this, so: GO TO FICTIONPRESS.NET AND READ HER FANTASTIC STORY 'SWIFT' USER ID= SASSIE! *cough*  
  
Anyhoo..  
  
I forgot a really good story. I'm such a moron (Don't ANYONE comment on that.. ^_-) that I let one get by. 'DANCING PLUMS AND 8TH GRADE LITERATURE' is utterly fantastic. As well as 'A Stork for Sessha' and 'A Stork for Sanosuke'. All by 'Imbridium Iridium' (Sorry if I spelled that wrong. Sleeplessness is catching up with me over-time.) really great. Read them. ^-^  
  
Kenshin: I'm proud of you. You addressed everything.  
  
Dove: When did you get back? And why?  
  
Kenshin: Soujiro called me and said there was an update on your lovelife.  
  
Dove: Since when do you care -  
  
Kenshin: C'mon Dove-chan! Just spill!!  
  
Dove: *Shrug* It's no big deal! My boyfriend hugged me with no prompting! Whoooo.  
  
Kenshin: Yeah, but he has the Sessha thing going on.  
  
Kaoru's disembodied voice: So do you.  
  
Kenshin: Yeah, but I get paid to. WAIT. Dove-chan, did you say that?  
  
Dove: Nope!  
  
Sanosuke: I like Sake. So, when are you and 'The Boyfriend' gonna kiss?  
  
Dove: SHUT UP!  
  
Sano: Make me!  
  
Dove: *Twitch**Needs him intact for next story*  
  
Sano: *Knows it*  
  
Soujiro: *Watches with complete amusement as poor Dove-chan's love-life is told to the world*  
  
Dove: I'm thinking of making a special filler chapter for when I hit 300 reviews. If anyone objects, please tell me. I'll be putting it up at the same time as an update, so if you want to skip it..  
  
Anyhoo. If I do end up doing that, the first two fillers will officially be taken down, and I'll revamp them to change them into review celebrations. Going to the zoo for 100 reviews, random acts of insanity for 200 reviews, and Kami-know's-what for 300 reviews.  
  
I NEED INPUT! I can't keep y'all happy if you won't tell me what you want!  
  
In case anyone needs reminding, I own nothing. Although I have a couple of dollars to my name now. Soujiro-chan, read the review responses would you? I'm trying to write an Inuyasha fanfic, a different Kenshin fanfic, and this fanfic all at the same time.  
  
Soujiro: Sure, Dove-chan! ^_^  
  
Dove: ^-^ Thanks!  
  
Soujiro: Yep. Now.. *Reads off of new dry-erase board where all review responses are now kept.* (Dove-chan caught Sano stealing the paper. It got ugly. Said paper was used to mop up the blood.)  
  
LadyChrisA - Lol! *Watches Shishio back away slowly*  
  
I'm Disappointed - Thank you for pointing that out. Yes, I have no problems admitting that my story was inspired by Linay-sama's work. However, I made an effort to change it a lot. As you'll notice, after the first chapter I deviated greatly. I don't recall Kaoru being normal, without those powers. Or Sano being in the story at all. Or Shishio. And as for your last comment, I really don't appreciate it. I don't think that it was called for. Thank you!  
  
((^ My first kinda flame! I am TOTALLY an author now! ^_-))  
  
Koniko-chan - Oooh.. *Afraid*  
  
Thundersister - Hey, that's okay. I don't mind. I don't plan on making this a lemon, I'm sorry.  
  
Saiya Winters - Oh, well. You're welcome. ^-^  
  
XP-DarkAngel - *Nods meekly*  
  
Kyia Star - Lol!!  
  
RK-128 - Don't worry. I'm planning on a huge climatic (Is that a word? I hope it means what I want it to mean.. or does it mean weather? Lol) battle. MWAHAHAHA.  
  
CrazyKitsuneFireGirl - Woah. You snuck on to read my story? *Honored* ^-^  
  
Daine - Thanks, me to. Yes, Shishio is evil. Shishio is always evil. Shishio is gonna get whooped. ^_-  
  
Ferai - Lol! Okay, thanks! I hate Tomoe with a passion as well. Big whoop, she completed his scar and made him be a Rurouni and basically set the basis for the whole show. Blah-blah. ^_-  
  
Jurie - *Growl* *Drags you out to make you write the next chapter* Well then. That's cool. ^-^ Same thing happened to me, so hey!  
  
AzNfRiSbEeDrAgOn - *Sarcastic* Good to know my reviewers care about ME so much! j/k  
  
Kurokumo - *Blink* Ooookkkaayy...  
  
LadyChrisA - *Laughs*  
  
Jannie135 - Well, I read and reviewed. Thanks for your review!  
  
Boomerang-chan - Lol. Well, Shishio was cutting her basically because he felt like it. (Isn't THAT a nice reason..) Thanks for the Jell-o! ^-^ I bascialy wrote the car part 'cause that's what ~I~ did the other day. Lol.  
  
LunaAngel - No! The scars have purpose! *Hoping*  
  
Conscience Fairy - Yeah.. I usually do that. I know what you mean.  
  
Ace - Lol!!! Okay. Re-sheathed. I will NEVER remember that. Lol. Don't worry. I'm hoping that the theme will lighten up some. I mean, the story just twisted out of my grasp and started getting Angsty!! *Tackles the story* Get back here.. Oh, and you're welcome.  
  
Mystic Gohan - Bah. They'll never finish dubbing it. Lol. I'm planning on doing the same thing as you.  
  
Dragongurl913 - Thanks!  
  
Fire - Lol. Well, I've set my room up so that I can literally lay on my bed and type at the same time. VERY bad..  
  
l3al3yanime - Note the tears in this chapter.. thanks for pointing that out! I completely missed it!  
  
Glory230 - Thanks  
  
Sayo - Lol! Okay  
  
Baka-Ryu - Rock on. ^-^ now YOU are making ME blush! *Grumble* Oh, and I beta-read the newest chapter on Sky Dweller. *Very proud*  
  
Golden Dove - Lol!! Okay, as you wish.  
  
Dragon_Master27 - Um. Okay! ^-^ I'm glad someone likes the tribulations.. ^-^  
  
Angel - *Bows* As you wish..  
  
evillaughingtalkingwall - Lol. Why don't you just write your entire past down on Notepad, that way you've told someone who can never tell another. ^-^ 'Dove-sama'? Wow. Now I'm really impressed with this story. Lol.  
  
Angie - Yep. That's why I write cliff-hangers! | Kenshin: I thought it was because you WANTED them to hunt you down.. | Dove: *Growl*  
  
Tani-chan - *Giggle* Oh my! I do hope you're okay. Here, have some tylenol! Always works! ^-^ (Can you all tell what the wonder-drug at my house is? LOL!!)  
  
Okay, I have to go wreak havoc at CDI again. Seeya all! (And review!!) 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

A/N:   
  
Dove: ARGHHH!!! *Smashing things*  
  
Kenshin: *Ducking random flying objects* Dove-chan! What's wrong?  
  
Dove: *Starts crying* My mom hates me!!  
  
Kenshin: Oro?  
  
Dove: SHE WOULDN'T LET ME WATCH RUROUNI KENSHIN WHEN SHE KNEW DARNED WELL THAT I'D BEEN WAITING ALL WEEK TO SEE IT 'CAUSE STUPID CARTOON NETWORK TOOK IT OFF!!  
  
Kenshin: *Flattered* You're.. breaking stuff 'cause you wanted to see me? *Ducks flying waterbottle*  
  
Dove: Yes!  
  
Sano: *Catches waterbottle full in the face* What - OW - about me?  
  
Dove: YOU TO DASH IT! Kuso, Kuso, Kuso! I mean, it's a half an hour! How hard is it to find something ELSE to do for 30 minutes? GEESH!!!!! *Sobbing*  
  
Kenshin: *Catches flying laptop* I don't think you'd like it if this broke.. *Mumbling softly*  
  
Sano: *Catches flying Dove* No, you are NOT going to get to your Katana!  
  
Dove: LET ME GO! *Trying to get past to perform ritual Seppoku*  
  
Kenshin: Oh my.. *Takes Katana and runs out of the room.* *Returns a few minutes later without the Katana.* Sano... where is Dove-chan?  
  
Sano: *Points to bed*  
  
Kenshin: *Peeks underneath*  
  
Dove: *Is huddled under bed speaking with her newest muse, a little fairy*  
  
Kenshin: What's she doing?  
  
Sano: Discussing writing a fanfic in which her mother dissapears from the face of the planet for a half an hour and she gets to see the show.  
  
Kenshin: Isn't that a little dramatic?  
  
Sano: Yep. The homocidal muse already no'd it, the obsessive-compulsive-cleaner muse downed it, and the child-muse went into shock at the idea.  
  
Kenshin: What about the last muse?  
  
Homocidal Muse: We have names!  
  
Child Muse: Yeah! Namies! Hee hee!  
  
Kenshin: Oh. Sorry. Who are you?  
  
Homocidal Muse: *Looks like a small, female, blonde-haired blue-eyed version of Battousai* My name is Sungold.  
  
Kenshin: Ah. Sungold?  
  
Sungold: Yes.  
  
Child Muse: Kiri! Kiri! My name is Kiri Na! *Looks like a small, purple-haired, golden-eyed version of Rin off of Inuyasha*  
  
Kenshin: Ohhh-kayy...  
  
Obsessive-compulsive-cleaner-muse: I'm Rue. *Looks like a small red-haired version of ShadowKitty off of X-Men Evolution*  
  
Sano: As I was saying, the last muse is labeled 'Fluff-Muse'.  
  
Kenshin: Fluff-muse?  
  
Sano: She likes romance. Go-figure.  
  
Fluff Muse: Nope, Sorry Dove-chan. *Flies over and perches on Sano's shoulder* My name is Jayde. *Looks like a completely original Fairy with blue hair, red eyes, and dead-white skin, wearing a flowing kimono with solid black wings*  
  
Kenshin: Great. So now the muses have NAMES.  
  
Jayde&Rue&Kiri&Sungold: HEY!  
  
Dove: III WAAANNNNAAAA SEEEEE RRRRUUUURRROUUUUNIIII KEEEENNNSSSHHHIINNNN!!!!! *Dissolves into tears*  
  
Kenshin: *To Sano* Are we going to have to write THIS chapter, too?  
  
Sano: Looks that way.  
  
Kaoru: Don't you dare!  
  
Megumi: Step aside, inferior males! The women have come to rescue the fanfic!  
  
Kenshin: *Wondering* Inferior males?  
  
Sano: *Wondering* Rescue the fanfic?  
  
Anyways,  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Sixteen  
  
(Written by Kaoru Kamiya and Megumi Takani. - Sir Ken likes me best.   
  
*SMASH* Does not.   
  
Does to!   
  
Not!   
  
TO!  
  
NOT!   
  
TOTOTOTOTO!   
  
NOTNOTNOTNOTNOT!!!)  
  
The newcomer was breathing heavily.  
  
"What do you want?" Battousai snarled. Soujiro watched with a detatched look on his face. Kaoru kind of rolled her head around some to peer at the intruder. She'd never seen him before.  
  
"Hiko...mad.."  
  
"Katsu, take a few breaths before you answer. Geez."  
  
After a few deep breaths, the man started again.  
  
"Battousai, Hiko is furious that you killed Koshijirou."  
  
"I don't care."  
  
"He said 'Remember Three Rocks'. And sent me to pass the message. I have to go." Katsu managed a smile. "I have to let Sano know that Kaoru is okay." And then he was gone, the door closed.  
  
Kaoru rolled her head towards Battousai and was shocked to see that all of the color had drained from his face. What had the cryptic message meant.  
  
"Battousai, what-" He stared at her for a moment.  
  
"Don't ask." He snapped. "I don't want to tell you. Stupid girl, going and getting yourself caught! I told you not to let him see you! Now you're going to have those scars-" His rant was cut off by her.  
  
With a dissaproving look, she pressed her lips together for a moment.  
  
"Now you listen here, Batt- Kenshin. I was slightly in shock because he shared somethat that YOU had omitted. And I don't CARE about these scars. They'll heal in time."  
  
"But.. he hurt you." His voice was low. He actually sounded upset about it. And not angry. More like hurt, sad. Guilty, perhaps?  
  
Kaoru stared at him.  
  
"Yes," She admitted. His words brought everything back in a rush. The pain. The cold followed by the hot. The pure blinding agony accompanied by his laughter. She gave a whimper. She couldn't stop it now. The memories were to upsetting.  
  
Battousai watched with an odd facination as her eyes changed. They got wider, more innocent. The color came back to her face. She didn't seem to know that she was in pain.  
  
"Hello!" She chirped. "Who are you?"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I asked first!!" She giggled.  
  
Soujiro was staring at them in complete shock, feeling both forgotten and confused.  
  
Battousai was almost relieved that this version of Kaoru wouldn't know to ask him about Hiko's code message.  
  
"I'm.." He thought about it. Introduce her to his name.. or his name. Same dillema as with Rumor. How sad. "Kenshin."  
  
"Kens..keeen..kenishin!" She chirped. And then drooped. "No.. not right.."  
  
"Just call me Ken."  
  
"Ken-ni!" She approved.  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"Rain!" She informed him. Battousai was amused. Kaoru, Rumor, and Rain. Intresting, that her alternate personalities named themselves so strangely.  
  
"Very nice to meet you, Rain." He said in his softest voice. She was a little girl right now, and he didn't want to scare her.  
  
"Um.. I hope you don't mind my asking.." Came an uncertain voice to his right. He turned to blink at Soujiro, who was looking very freaked out. "But, isn't-"  
  
"Her name is Rain. And she's-?"  
  
"This many!" She held up her fingers in a cheerful eight.  
  
"Eight." His voice was a bit more forceful with Soujiro.  
  
"Play! Play!" Rain latched onto Soujiro's arm. "What's your name?" She added as an afterthought.  
  
"Soujir.. Sou." He said with a real smile at her. She was taller than him, and yet he'd swear she considered him taller.  
  
"Play with me Sou! Plleeaasssee?" He nodded and stood. She giggled with complete unabridged joy.  
  
She was so pure. Battousai wanted to stay and watch her for the rest of the night, but he had to go talk to Hiko.  
  
"Play with her, Soujiro. And you'd better not make her cry. I'll know if you do." He said forcefully.  
  
"Where are you going, Mr. Battousai?"  
  
"Out. Try to leave and you might have to die."  
  
"Quit talking to Ken-ni, Sou! Play with me! Play with me!" So demanding, too. She knew what she wanted.  
  
Battousai left as she dragged Soujiro off to play hide-and-seek.  
  
**  
  
"I had to kill him." He said softly to Hiko, who was actually looking very angry. "I don't see why I shouldn't have. It's not like it's the cops that he was turning the Syndicate members in to. And we're the strongest branch, there's no need to worry about a counter-attack from Katsura."  
  
"If I didn't have a reason to keep him alive I would have had you kill him instead of kidnap his daughter!"  
  
"Well, Hiko. Why don't you TELL me what this reason is, hmm?"  
  
Hiko's eyes narrowed. And then he sighed. He couldn't avoid it.  
  
-- That's it! This story has been discontinued due to lack of intrest on the authoress's part. I've been working on this chapter forever, and I finally realized the problem: I'm not into Rurouni Kenshin anymore. Sorry, to all of my loyal fans.  
  
Well, that was fun. I was only kidding!!!!!! ^-^ I had to, I've been planning it forever. To apologize, here's some more chapter! ^-^ *Hides* --  
  
"Alright, Battousai. I'll tell you." Battousai crossed his arms and waited hostily. "Koshijirou is your father." He grinned and looked at Battousai's face. The assassin wasn't amused. "Yeah. Okay."  
  
He sighed.  
  
"It's because Koshijirou, in a way, was protected by me."  
  
"Come again?!"  
  
"My boss, as you may not know, is Watsuki Nobuhiro. He is the the 'big cheese'. He leads all of the branches of the syndicate. Mine, Katsura's, and Oniwaban's. Watsuki gave me an order: Koshijirou was not to be killed. So we had you take his daughter instead. I don't now why Watsuki didn't want him killed. Don't ask me. But he's kind of mad now."  
  
"Not my problem. You didn't tell me of that earlier. Or I would have just cut him up some and let him bleed himself into a coma on the floor."  
  
Hiko winced, as he always did when Battousai voiced his lust for blood.  
  
"Yeah.. well. Go back to your woman. Watsuki is having us meet at the Doozo Yoroshiku* Teahouse tommorrow night. 8pm."  
  
"What is wrong with you two? I've already exposed Kaoru to ONE stupid whore-house. Do I really have to expose her to another? Can't we just meet at a freakin' sushi bar or something?"  
  
"Nope. Go." Battousai sighed and did as he was told, hoping fervently that Kaoru would be back to normal before the next night at eight. He was not going to take an 8-year-old to a whorehouse. It wasn't happening.  
  
((*Quick note = 'Doozo Yoroshiku' is Japanese for 'May I ask you to be kind to me'. I thought it was funny. Lol. *Grumble* Fine. Be that way. ~I~ thought it was a good play of words.   
  
Kaoru: You would.  
  
Megumi: Shut up Raccoon girl!  
  
Kaoru: You first fox-face!  
  
Dove: AGH! SHUT UP ALREADY AND GET OUT OF MY HOUSE AND LET ME FINISH THIS THING!!!  
  
Kaoru: But.. you haven't written any of it..  
  
Megumi: Yeah!  
  
Dove: OUT!  
  
Kaoru&Megumi: Fine. See if we ever help you.  
  
Dove: *Admires the others' work* Why can't YOU TWO write like this? *Glares at Sano and Kenshin*  
  
Soujiro: Oooh! Let me try! Let me try! Pllleeeaaassseee?  
  
Dove: Okay! ^-^ *Unable to resist puppy-dog-eyes*))  
  
Back at the apartment, things were going.. okay.  
  
"Haha! I shalt make ye walk de plank! MWAHAHAHA!" Soujiro announced in a highly exaggerated pirate accent.  
  
Rain giggled.  
  
"Oh, but you can't mr-pirate-guy 'cause then my pretty dress would get ruined!" Her 'pretty dress' consisted of Battousai's heavy velvet curtains. Soujiro fervently hoped he wouldn't miss them.  
  
Adjusting his 'eyepatch' which was actually a coaster held to his face by a rubber band, Soujiro barked a laugh.  
  
"Aw, Matey! I see yer dillemma! Then we will just have to take ye hostage and..um..stuff!"  
  
"Oh no!" Rain gasped mockingly. "You have to catch me first!"  
  
"Aw, but I already did, lassy!"  
  
"Never!" She ran with a stumbling stride, not very fast at all.  
  
"Aye, we will stun 'er!" Soujiro informed his 'crew' which consisted of thirteen popsicle sticks, four apples, and a box of minute rice. He picked up some pillows, and started throwing them at Rain.  
  
She squealed in delight and raced harder, stumbling. Her foot caught on the cord of a lamp, and it smashed to the ground. Neither took notice.  
  
The gashes on Rain's face had started to bleed a little bit around the edges. As had most of the other cuts. But she paid them no mind - she was still flying high as a kite on painkillers. Soujiro, seeing that she didn't seem to notice the blood, figured that it didn't hurt so didn't comment on it.  
  
Rain dove over the couch, peeking over the edge of the arm-rest at Soujiro.  
  
He advanced, with exaggerated slowness.  
  
She giggled and backed away.  
  
He charged as she started running. He caught her gently about the waist, and she gave a shriek.  
  
Just as Battousai walked in the door.  
  
He eyed the destruction critically. All of the cushions and pillows were off of his couch and strewn about the room. A set of curtains was missing. A lamp was shattered with shards all over the place.  
  
And amidst all this turmoil, Rain was standing dressed in his curtains, Soujiro was behind her with a coaster strapped over his right eye (And half of his face) with his arms around her.  
  
Wait.  
  
Double-take.  
  
What was Soujiro doing with his arms around her?  
  
He turned back around just as she raced behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.  
  
"Hullo, Ken-ni!" She chirped. "You have to save me from Sou!" Soujiro, who had looked nervous up to that point, grinned.  
  
"Nay, ye will walk de plank!" He brandished the broom like a sword.  
  
Battousai caught onto the game quickly.  
  
"Ay, I shall save thee fair maiden!" He snatched up a random object (A backscratcher) and brandished it in a showy stance.  
  
"Never! She is to walk the plank!" Seijuro attacked, fully expecting to be thrown to the ground and knocked out or something. But Battousai let him connect. He stared.  
  
"Oy, my maiden. I have been injured!" He cried melodramatically.  
  
"Oh!" Rain looked close to tears.  
  
"But.. I shall go on.." Battousai 'stumbled' to his feet. He 'shakily' brandished his weapon. Soujiro's next attack was blocked, and Battousai tapped him with his weapon.  
  
It went on like that for a while, until Battousai managed a 'last-minute-thrust' and Soujiro launched into an elaborate death scene.  
  
Rain's voice was weak.  
  
"Ken-ni.. I'm tired.." They'd forgotten her age and how easily she would tired.  
  
"Okay. While Sou comes back to life and cleans up this room, lets get you off to bed." He took her by the hand and led her into the bedroom.  
  
She plopped down on the bed. He tucked her in and she smiled at him. He noticed a bit of blood - she was doing an awful lot of physical activity. He hoped it wouldn't hurt her to much. After all, only nine cuts had been deep, the rest had been simple surface wounds.  
  
"Tell me a story?" He blinked at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"A bed-time story, silly! Tell me a story!" Her voice became a mix between demanding/pleading/plaintive.  
  
"Oh, that kind of story. Okay." He thought about it. This was hard. He remembered a story that his mother had told him when he was really young. He just had to change a few things.  
  
"Okay.  
  
Once, in a far away land, there was a princess.  
  
She was a real brat, spoiled rotten.  
  
She always thought that she should get whatever she wanted,  
  
whenever she wanted.  
  
No one dared speak out against her.  
  
And her parents never tried to discipline her.  
  
So she got meaner and meaner,  
  
and more and more spoiled.  
  
And then one day, after a big tantrum,  
  
she ran out into the gardens.  
  
There she found a boy.  
  
He wasn't dressed as richly as her,  
  
and his hair was all ratty.  
  
He looked rather disgusting.  
  
"What are YOU doing in MY garden?"  
  
The princess asked in an airy tone.  
  
"I was looking for food." He said gently.  
  
She stared at him,  
  
"Can't you just have your cook prepare some?"  
  
You see, she didn't know about poverty.  
  
She thought that everyone was rich,  
  
and just like her.  
  
"No. We don't even have enough money for even some rice."  
  
And right then, reality set in,  
  
"But, don't you live in a big pretty castle?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Ride horses?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Do you have anything?"  
  
"My mother, my father, and eight brothers and sisters."  
  
The princess was awed.  
  
She invited the boy and his family to dinner right then and there.  
  
They came, and ate, and kept thanking her.  
  
That word was foreign, so she had to find out what it meant.  
  
From that day on, the princess was no longer spoiled.  
  
She went throughout her father's kingdom handing out food and money,  
  
and she always said 'please' and 'thank you'."  
  
It wasn't the most intresting story, but at her age it should have been at least good for a listen. He'd always liked it. Of course, it had been with a prince and a little peasant girl.  
  
"Thank you." She mumbled, her eyes drifting closed.  
  
He stood to go, and was surprised when her fist clenched on his pants. He stared at her.  
  
She'd caught him off-balance. She pulled, and he slipped, falling onto the bed.  
  
"Stay with me tonight? It's dark in here."  
  
"Okay." He agreed, smiling gently at her. Rain giggled. She curled up against his chest.  
  
"Soujiro, you can sleep on the couch, blankets in the closet in the bathroom!" Battousai called. He put his arms lightly around Kaoru, and drifted into a comfortable sleep.  
  
A/N: First note: HA! NOT! A! CLIFFIE!!! Whoo. Hard one, everyone was begging to meet another personality. Welcome to Rain. She won't be staying long, but she's here. Expect to meet the killer-one next chaper. Remember when she tried to stab Battousai? That was the 'killer' personality.  
  
I need someone to give me some feedback. Should I call Battousai 'Battousai' or switch to Kenshin?  
  
Kenshin: Kenshin is my name.  
  
Dove: Shaddup. Great job on the fic, by the way, Soujiro.  
  
Soujiro: I'm glad you think so, Dove-chan!  
  
Dove: ^-^ Yep, Okay, I'm going to make Sano read the review responses 'cause I'm still trying to get chapter 1 of the Revolution High Chronicles out. Oh, and 334 reviews for chapter 17. What else.. Sorry about that joke, still. What else... Oh! Anyone want to send me some fanart? lol. I've already drawn some, but hey! ^_- I need more than my work to make a website, ne? ^_-  
  
Who knows Japanese? I'd like to talk to you, so I can learn more! ^-^  
  
Have fun on your vacation, LadyChrisA! (Love your fic!)  
  
Yeah, everyone read her fic! It's really good.  
  
Okay, I've got nothing else to say. Going to work on RHC. And I'm going to change the name because it's to long. ^-^ Okay, hit it Sano. *Wanders off*  
  
Sano: Yay, okay. Lessee here.. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen

A/N:  
  
I really want to thank y'all for all of the reviews! The missing review-responses last time were my fault, by the way. Well, Kenshin won out over Battousai. *Watches as Kenshin punches himself in the face* And.. ah.. so I'm going to call him Kenshin unless he's killing/fighting/ticked/wants blood. Okay, two of my wonderful reviewers (Shinori and CurlsofSerenity) suggested some fantastic names. Kurai, meaning 'Alter Ego' and Akuma, meaning 'Devil'. It's so very hard to choose between them, so I'm about to flip a coin. Okay.. *Flips said coin* And.. it's.. Akuma. I'll use Kurai for another character, kay? Moving on.. *Turns on TV* *Cyborg 009 is on*  
  
Dove: *Stares* Exactly HOW stupid is Cartoon Network?  
  
Kenshin: What's that mean?  
  
Dove: FIRST they take Yu Yu Hakusho off! And then they take YOU off! And then I think they took Kikaider off! KAMI-SAMA I'M CLOSE TO FOREGOING CARTOON NETWORK TOTALLY! *Cough* Lucky for them they still have Trigun on. Stupid freaks. ARGHHH!!!  
  
Kenshin: *Drops to knees* PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER BREAK-DOWN! PLLLEEEAASSEEE!!!!!!!!!  
  
Dove: *Staring* When did you go from great powerful wonderful kick-butt swordsman Battousai to weak, sobbing, grovelling.. you?  
  
Kenshin: That was mean!  
  
Dove: I know.. *Guilty look*  
  
Kenshin: SANO!  
  
Sano: Kennnsshhinn! Um. Hi! *Trying desperatly to hide the laptop, earrings, necklaces, pillow cases, and other really nice objects behind his back.* What can I do for ya?  
  
Kenshin: Why are you robbing Dove blind?  
  
Sano: *Chucking things behind his back out the open window behind him.* Robbing? Never! I wouldn't stoop so low!  
  
Dove: Hey! That's my - throw that laptop freak and you'll never hold another pair of dice AGAIN! I SWEAR!  
  
Sano: *Choke* Um. Okay. *Puts laptop down.*  
  
Dove: *Tackles Him* I KNOW YOU AREN'T STEALING MY PLUSHIES, DVDS, AND OTHER KENSHIN-ORIENTED STUFF THAT I HAVE!!!!  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Seventeen  
  
Kenshin woke up the instant that the sun sent a few rays over the horizon. He looked down at Kaoru, or Rain, who was still sleeping soundly in his arms. How was he going to get her to revert to a personality that could handle the 'tea house'?  
  
She stirred, mumbling soft words. He leaned close as she repeated what she'd said.  
  
"Ken-Ni.. don't let them... they'll hurt me.." She groaned, and started writhing some. He tightened his arms around her, keeping her from thrashing to terribly.  
  
"Rain.. Rain, wake up!" He whispered. She grumbled, trying to twist away from him. He shook her. Her eyes snapped open.  
  
Worried violet eyes stared into stunned blue eyes. They stayed in that limbo for another few seconds. And then Kaoru started to scream.  
  
Kenshin winced as her splitting scream numbed his poor ears. He released her and got to his feet, backing away and watching her. She just kept right on screaming. He had to admire her lung capacity. He looked at her eyes as she continued to shriek. Kaoru-eyes.  
  
Wondering how he'd managed to jolt her out of her eight-year-old stage, Kenshin shouted to be heard over her shriek.  
  
"KAORU! SHUT UP!" His voice was a bit harsher than necessary. Her voice froze in mid-shriek. After a few more seconds of thier stand-off, Kaoru broke the silence.  
  
"Why.. why were you..? Why am I?"  
  
"You switched personalities on us yesterday. We got to meet Rain. And I doubt she's the last we'll meet."  
  
"We?" Kaoru asked, genuinely confused. "Oh! Soujiro!"  
  
"Yep." Kenshin didn't bother to mention that they'd been playing that pirate game, or that Soujiro probably wouldn't know not to call her Rain.  
  
"Well, then why were you in bed with me?" She asked calmly, smoothing her hands over the velvet 'dress' she had on self-conciously, albeit a little curiously.  
  
"You asked me to stay. Anyways, I only woke you up because you were having some sort of nightmare." Kaoru nodded with a sigh.  
  
"One more question-"  
  
"You're wearing those because you and Soujiro and.. ah.. I were playing a game and apparently you two decided to use my curtains as a gown." Kenshin interrupted with a smirk. He saw her face go a brilliant shade of red. She certainly was taking it all in stride, if a bit embarrassed.   
  
"I'm going to go make breakfast." He informed her, spinning on his heel. "I believe that some of Rumor's clothes purchases are in the closet."  
  
Five minutes into creating a delectable breakfast of Miso soup, and pancakes Kenshin heard Kaoru scream. He turned to run into the room when he heard the door open. Holding the large wooden spoon like a weapon, Kenshin headed for the hall. He stopped short when he saw Kaoru. She was staring at him helplessly.  
  
He almost started laughing. She'd screamed from the sheer horror of the clothing she had on. A black tanktop that proclaimed 'Touch and Die' and a pair of tight black leather pants.  
  
"How could you let her BUY something like this?! It looks horrible on me!" Kaoru berated. Actually, Kenshin completely dissagreed with that. But he sure wasn't telling her that. And besides, if she wore that to the Doozo Yoroshiku, something was bound to happen.  
  
"I wasn't shown what clothes she had chosen. Keep the tanktop, but change into a pair of sweatpants - I have some extra drawstring ones in my closet." Kaoru smiled thankfully and dissapeared back into the room. Kenshin snorted in amusement and went back into the kitchen.  
  
Soujiro, incredibly, had slept through it all.  
  
"SOUJIRO! WAKE UP!" He shouted in the kid's ear. Soujiro grumbled, and rolled over. Still snoring lightly. Kenshin stared at him for a few moments, And screeched it again, louder than before. Soujiro didn't even twitch.  
  
With a sigh, Kenshin decided to just save him a plate and stood. Turning, the red-head sneezed, making a tiny little 'ech-ee.'  
  
Soujiro yelped and leapt to his feet.  
  
"Geez! What is wrong with you? I'm trying to sleep! Cover your mouth when you sneeze!" Soujiro grumped.  
  
"Not a morning person, I take it?" Kenshin almost chirped. His cheerfulness was only there to tick Soujiro off, in reality Kenshin was just as tired and grumpy as the kid.  
  
"Gee, ya think?"  
  
"You can go take a shower, that usually works." Kenshin suggested as he walked out of the room.  
  
"Oh, okay." Soujiro growled. He felt like a total moron for yelling at THE Battousai like that, but he was tired and the stupid moron had WOKEN. HIM. UP!!  
  
He folded up the blankets and stacked them in his arms to replace in the cabinet. And then, without bothering to knock, Soujiro opened the door and walked into the bathroom, closing the door firmly behind him and locking it.  
  
He started to replace the blankets, humming softly. As he finished putting them away, he closed the door, and turned. His jaw dropped.  
  
The scream of one ticked Kaoru and one scared to death Soujiro mingled in the apartment. Kaoru started to bash him over the head repeatedly with a handy toilet brush, screaming about 'perverted little kids'.  
  
Soujiro raced for the door and pulled frantically at the handle. He realized it was locked as Kaoru abandoned the broken scrubber and started smacking him.  
  
"HELLPPP!" Soujiro screeched as another stinging slap connected with his jaw. He hastened to unlock the door. As he jerked it open, Kaoru all-out punched him.  
  
"I'm soorrryyyyy!" He babbled as he fell out the door.  
  
**  
  
Kenshin started at the scream. Wondering what on earth was going on, he headed for the bathroom, hearing shouting and flesh connecting. And then the door flew open and Soujiro fell out, landing at Kenshin's feet.  
  
Kaoru stood there stark naked. Kenshin's jaw dropped.  
  
"K.. Kaoru.. wha.. OW!" A bar of soap smashed into Kenshin's face. He wasn't even DOING anything! She slammed the door shut, screeching about perverts.  
  
Soujiro sat up once the lock on the door clicked.  
  
"I'm sorry." He mumbled through his swollen jaw. "I didn't know she was in there."  
  
"Well, at least you're up now, kid." Kenshin actually grinned, And then he lifted Soujiro up by the front of his shirt, placing him on his feet. "Breakfast will be ready in five minutes. You should probably lay down.. and then hope to the gods that you didn't revert Kaoru to her homicidal personality. If she comes out armed, then hide."  
  
Chuckling softly to himself, Kenshin left the room. Soujiro stared after him for a moment.. and then went and hid.  
  
**  
  
Breakfast was uneventful, except for the minor incident where Kenshin and Kaoru had to combine forces to get Soujiro out from under the bed.  
  
**  
  
"You need a television." Kaoru and Soujiro informed Kenshin at the exact same time. He glared at them - they had SO been planning that.  
  
"No I don't. But I DO need to figure out what I'm going to do with you, Soujiro, seeing that you aren't a guest or any-" Kaoru put a hand over his mouth. Kenshin stared at her incredulously - what was she thinking, doing such a familiar thing?! He grabbed her wrist, twisting and spinning her. This caused her balance to be completely upset and she ended up in his lap.  
  
"Erk!" She announced, struggling against his grip. He loosely placed his hands on her shoulders, with enough power to keep her still. He ran a finger along her neck, causing her to shudder.  
  
"You really shouldn't do that, Kaoru." He whispered in her ear, voice getting less like Kenshin and more like Battousai. His eyes flashed golden.  
  
Kaoru saw Soujiro's expression, and panicked, thrashing wildly in Battousai's grip. He moved his hands to her elbows, keeping her arms pinned to her sides and making it impossible for her to hit him. She moved to kick him, but he trapped her legs by wrapping his ankles around her own.  
  
"Let me go! What is wrong with you! LET GO!" She screeched, Her thrashing becoming more of a desperate twitching.  
  
"Oh, but why?"  
  
"Because if you don't, I will kill you, Battousai." Kaoru's voice had suddenly gone silky.  
  
He didn't loosen his grip at all.  
  
Unfortunatly, she was serious. She twisted, bringing her still-bony hip into his groin with shocking power. This loosened his grip somewhat. She continued her twist, freeing her left arm. She brought her fist into his Solar Plexus, with 113 pounds of seriously ticked female behind it.  
  
He completely lost his grip, seeing stars. She sprung away from him, landing on the back of the infamous blue couch in a low crouch.  
  
Battousai took a few deep breaths, blinking in a beamused way. He took in Kaoru crouched on the couch, and came to decision.  
  
"I think you should handle this." He closed his eyes, relaxing. His eyes opened as violet. "Yes. I should, you idiot. Just because she did that.. you scared her right into another personality, moron."  
  
Kenshin stood, looking at Kaoru.  
  
"Hi. I'm Kenshin Himura. You are..?"  
  
"What makes you think I'm going to tell you."  
  
"Come on.." He said in a coaxing tone. Her green eyes narrowed on him. Wait! Green eyes!? He stared at her eyes in shock. When he thought about it, only Kaoru had blue eyes. Rain had eyes closer to silver, Rumor had eyes more gray, and this person had green. Fantastic, something to remember.  
  
"Akuma." Her voice was harsh. Soujiro stood, and went behind Kenshin. A nice, safe place.  
  
"Nice to meet you. Mind reverting back to Kaoru?"  
  
To his complete and utter shock, Akuma shrugged, closed her eyes, and then reopened them. Kaoru was blinking at them in a dazed expression.  
  
"What.. how.. why? Augh.." Kenshin finally had it figured out. The other multiples knew of each other's existence, and could even control when they came out. But Kaoru was left in the dark about it.  
  
Which was good, because they were there to protect her. As soon as Akuma had deemed Kenshin to not be a threat, it was safe for Kaoru to come out.  
  
This was going to be a very, very long day.  
  
They had to pull Soujiro out from underneath the bed at least seven times.  
  
"No escape attempts, the phone is disconnected, blah-blah-blah. We'll be back soon. Try not to trash the place."  
  
Kenshin left, holding Kaoru's elbow. Soujiro groaned.  
  
"YOU DON'T HAVE A TV, OR A COMPUTER, OR anything WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO FOR THE NEXT THREE HOURS!!??" He shouted at the highly intrested door. Upon recieving no response from the no longer listening hunk of wood, Soujiro went to Kenshin's companion sword, which he'd left behind while favoring the Sakabatou.  
  
They reached the Doozo Yoroshiku rather quickly. Kaoru stepped out, and waited for Kenshin, looking up at the sign. Great, it was going to be like the gentlemen's club. She hoped there wouldn't be a repeat of the previous events.  
  
"Keep your head down, and don't talk." Battousai told her in his trademark cold voice. He'd changed into his assassin self, halfways to keep up appearances and halfway because he had to. He adjusted the Sakabatou and went in, this time letting Kaoru walk by herself a couple of steps behind him. His stride was swift and purposeful.  
  
Sano was waiting at the door.  
  
"The boss said to leave Kaoru out here."  
  
"WHAT?!" Battousai growled, furious. "They'll rip her apart! She's a little girl and-"  
  
"I." Kaoru said in a sharp tone. "Will be fine. Now go on into your meeting. I'll be sitting at that table in that shadowy corner curled up in a chair with my head down."  
  
Battousai smirked.  
  
"Alright." He lifted a chain off of his neck. She'd never noticed it before. It had an intricate design, a bengal tiger in mid-lunge. Only the stripes were replaced with little swords. It was quite a dazzling effect, and almsot life-like. All in a shiny silver, with a gold chain.  
  
"This is my insignia. If anyone messes with you, Kaoru, just flash it and if they don't back down they will die. It's the rules."  
  
"Okay.." She slipped it onto her neck. He smiled at her, slightly, and then dropped his face into a mask of impassiveness. His golden eyes glimmered as he turned, opened the door, and strode inside.   
  
Sano and Kaoru waved, and then Kaoru threaded her way over to the table.  
  
She was there for a grand total of two minutes before a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Her hand closed around the pendant, and she spun.  
  
Gohei leered drunkenly down at her. And this time he had a friend.  
  
"Who.."  
  
"Hello little lady. I'm Riyjouta (Sorry if that's spelled wrong)." The man said with a grin as leering as Gohei's. Kaoru flipped her hand open, revealing the pendant. Both men blinked at the insignia.  
  
"So Battousai claimed you, hmm? Well, that will make this more fun." Gohei chuckled. Riyjouta obviously knew better. He was gone a breath after hearing 'Battousai'.  
  
Gohei looked for him, but then shrugged. "Ah, well. More for me."  
  
Kaoru figured out what he was doing and started to thrash as his hand locked onto her wrist. She opened her mouth to scream and he clamped his hand over her mouth before she managed to even squeak.  
  
"That's no good." He purred. She could smell alcohol and wrinkled her nose in disgust. He yanked her to her feet, and dragged her through a long hall, up two flights of stairs, and through another hall. Kaoru fought as hard as she could, but he was impossibly strong and knew exactly which pressure points could subdue her. And not to mention that he was really, really tall.  
  
Gohei dragged her into a small dark room, despite her resistance. He flung her hard, and she hit a wall with a sharp crack. He gripped her throat, so that she couldn't cry out.  
  
With no effort at all, Gohei tore Kaoru's shirt. It left her with a thin layer of cloth between her and his lecherous hands.  
  
She twisted with renewed spirit. She knew what he wanted. And she sure as shootin' was NOT going to give him it. Tears of frustration and fear poured from her eyes. Stupid Battousai, not giving her a weapon. Stupid her for not asking for one. Stupid Gohei for being there.  
  
She was completely exposed from the waist up. But shockingly, still Kaoru. She was actually trying to figure out where Akuma was. Or Rumor. Or even RAIN! She didn't want to be there!  
  
Kaoru tried to evade unconciousness and Gohei's attempt to kiss her. She twisted her head and sank her teeth into his vile arm. She felt blood filling her mouth and the instant nausea. But she didn't let go.  
  
He jerked, releasing her neck. At that instant, she opened her mouth and screamed,  
  
"BATTOUSAI!!!!" spitting out blood as she did so. Gohei reared back and struck her across the face. She felt a bruise already forming on her cheek from his sudden attack. "No!" She whimpered as he started to lower his lips on hers. She was exhausted.  
  
And then she heard a very odd sound. Screaming, cracking. And then the ground gave out from under her feet.  
  
When the dust cleared, Kaoru saw Gohei still right in front of her. But his eyes were wide in complete fear. Dazed, she turned to see.. Battousai? She looked up, and stared.  
  
Everything clicked. He must have heard her cry and then.. sliced through the support beams, taking out a six by five chunk of the second floor. Awful architecture. Must talk to the inspector about that.  
  
Battousai crouched next to her, swiftly removing his trenchcoat and wrapping it around her. Kaoru clutched it to herself gratefully, starting to shiver.  
  
He stood, and then moved in front of her protectivly.  
  
"What is WRONG with you?!" Battousai hissed. "I made it clear LAST time that you were you leave her alone you waste of air!" His eyes turned into molten lava, sparking with his anger.  
  
Kaoru was terrified and gratified at the same time. He was protecting her! How.. er.. romantic.  
  
He drew his sword slowly, letting the sound ring through the suddenly silent main room of the Doozo Yoroshiku.  
  
Gohei's breath was coming in heaving gasps.  
  
"I didn't know she was-"  
  
"Yes you did!" Kaoru's voice rang out. "You said that it would 'be more fun'." She smirked at Gohei's white face. Did the man actually think she was going to PROTECT him or something stupid like that?  
  
"Gohei Hiruma. I am afraid that now you must die, as befit the rules of the Syndicate. You saw my pendant, however you ignored it. This is inexcusable. Get your weapon. Now."  
  
A/N: Yes. Now it's a cliffie. I'm sorry for the delay. Partly my fault, partly ff.net's fault.   
  
I got Inuyasha Volume 1!! WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  
  
Anyone want to send me some fanart? Please do, I will love you eternally! ^-^ *Still has to finish her OWN fanart*  
  
The next chapter will be all fighty and swordy and Battousai-y and.. stuff. Yeah. Now I have to plot how to get the next volume of Inuyasha. ^-^  
  
Kenshin: I have nothing to say.  
  
Soujiro: *Fast asleep*  
  
Sano: *Very Drunk* Pretty stars..  
  
Dove: Quit staring at my guitar, Sano. It's creepin' me out.  
  
One last note: No review responses today. I'm to lazy. If you have a question that you want answered, just put a ^-^ at the end of your review and I'll email you. One big THANK YOU for all of the reviews!  
  
((And to everyone that wanted to know, CDI is the Cyber-Defenders Institute. Basically we were working for the government on computers for 2 weeks Check out public.lanl.gov/cdi if you want to learn more)) 


	18. Chapter Eighteen

A/N: I can't believe the terrific response to Gohei!! I thought people would get mad at me or something – but y'all love it! Lol!  
  
Kenshin: They just like watching me beatin' the crap outta someone.  
  
Sano: Isn't it usually ME who beats the crap outta people?  
  
Dove: Yo! I'm not done yet!!  
  
Kenshin&Sano: Sorry..  
  
Sano: She is still in mourning for having to return the laptop. Hence the testiness.  
  
Dove: *WHACK* You're the one who tried to STEAL IT!  
  
Kenshin: Now, now..  
  
Dove: SHADDAP!  
  
Sano: Yeah, pacifist!  
  
Dove: WHO ASKED YOU?!  
  
**Cartoon fighting cloud**  
  
Kenshin: Oro.. *winces* Well, on with the story. *Ducks, catches flying thing* Um, Dove.. would you like your shirt back? *Blinking*  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Eighteen  
  
Battousai's cold eyes took in the room with a calculating sweep. Everyone had backed away – Gohei was not going to find any help among the cowards he thought were his friends.  
  
Kaoru was shivering on the floor. From the looks of things, had he been a second later she might have wanted in on the fight.  
  
How dare Gohei try to rape her.  
  
How dare that PIG try to lay his hands on her!  
  
Gohei was holding nothing more than.. a wooden tray? Ah. He thought to use it as a shield.  
  
What a fool.  
  
"You made the biggest mistake of your life, Gohei." Battousai launched himself into the air. "Ryu Tsui Sen!" Gohei gave a yelp and threw himself to the side, getting away with only a clip to his shoulder.  
  
That didn't cut.  
  
"Huh?" Gohei stared as Battousai smirked. The blade was not flipped, and the attack had been a mock-attempt to throw him off-guard.  
  
In the instant that Gohei realized that, Battousai was already upon him.  
  
Flipping the blade mid-attack,  
  
((Mmm.. it smells like rain in my room…))  
  
Battousai slashed for Gohei's stomach. The frantic drunkard brought the tray between them. Battousai smirked and didn't stop.  
  
His face barely registered surprise when Gohei drew a hidden Semi-Automatic from behind the tray and fired.  
  
The bullet hit him point-blank in the chest.  
  
Battousai fell.  
  
His sword clattered away.  
  
Gohei put the gun away, and drew a short-sword hidden underneath his coat.  
  
"Heh. I bet ye weren't expectin' that, huh Battousai?" His name came out as a curse.  
  
"Blast.." He swore, stars dancing in front of his vision. Gohei was smirking, as he lifted the sword above his head, and swung down at Battousai's neck.  
  
There was a clash of steel.  
  
Moving like a demon, Kaoru had snatched up the sword and come between Battousai and Gohei.  
  
But it wasn't Kaoru.  
  
Nor was it Rain, Akuma, or Rumor.  
  
It was all four of them. At once.  
  
"I don't think so." The sentence came out as a mix of all of their different voices. It literally sounded like four people speaking at the same time.  
  
"Get away, you little brat!" Gohei snarled, furious that his moment to kill Battousai had been taken away.  
  
"You will not get to him." Gohei launched back from their crossed-sword limbo. And then he swung again, Kaoru/Rain/Rumor/Akuma his target now. Smoothly, they blocked him.  
  
He couldn't understand it. Just a few minutes ago, she had been giving up. And now she was as strong as him.  
  
And then he could.  
  
She loved Battousai, and the will to protect the one she loved was infinitly more powerful than the will to protect herself.  
  
"So, you love him, hmm?" Gohei kicked out swiftly, catching her legs and sweeping them out from underneath her. She hit the ground hard, not loosing her grip on the sword.  
  
She offered him a few various, colorful places to stick his words.  
  
"Harsh." He swung his sword down, and was mildly surprised when she blocked with one hand on the hilt and one hand cradling the blade. A classic Battousai move. How strange.  
  
"Your fight is with me, Gohei."  
  
"Huh?" He turned to see Battousai standing, blood pouring from his wound.  
  
But his eyes were just as furious. And even more deadly, if possible.  
  
"Never take your eyes off of us." Kaoru/Rain/Rumor/Akuma informed him, as they drove the blade through his left shoulder, his right arm was already useless, she'd seen it in his one-handed attacks.  
  
He screamed in pain, causing her to wince before she removed the blade. And then she threw the bloodied Sakabatou to Battousai.  
  
But Gohei did not turn to meet the opponent with the blade.  
  
With a feral scream, he leapt at Kaoru. She side-stepped, but he reached out and caught her throat, taking her with him to the ground.  
  
Her eyes crossed for a moment, before her vision cleared.  
  
Gohei yanked her up with him, his sword miraculously still in his hand and now at her throat.  
  
"What now?" He taunted Battousai, his voice strained somewhat with pain. And then he twisted Kaoru, who had returned to herself after stabbing him, and kissed her hard on the mouth.  
  
Her eyes widened, and she scratched at his face. But he didn't let go.  
  
Battousai heard her muffled scream, and snapped. He launched himself through the air, and used the Ama-Kakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki.  
  
His speed blurred to an impossible level. One moment, there was the glint of steel, and then nothing. He was moving to a speed just shy of breaking the sound barrier.  
  
In an instant, half of Gohei went one way, while half of Gohei went the other way.  
  
Kaoru screamed. Such an odd sound, he didn't remember ever hearing her scream like that. Terror. Surprise.  
  
He flicked the thick blood off of the blade and knelt before Kaoru, pulling her shaking body close to his own.  
  
"It's okay, Pet." He soothed. She buried her head in his chest. He gathered her up and stood. "Tell Watsuki that the meeting will be moved to a later date."  
  
His voice left no room for discussion. He carried her out to the car, and broke at least six laws getting them home. He got her halfway up the stairs before the dam broke. She sank to her knees on the stairs, sobbing hysterically. He sat next to her, and was surprised when she turned to him and buried her face in his chest.  
  
"It's alright, Kaoru. It's over. He's gone."  
  
"He took my first kiss.." She whimpered. He cupped her chin gently, and turned her face up to his.  
  
"Well, forget that one. Pretend that THIS is your first kiss." He whispered. And captured her lips in a gentle kiss, one she was free to pull away from.  
  
It felt so completely right to her. Kaoru melted into the kiss, her eyes closing as she leaned into him. He wrapped his arms gently around her back and deepened the kiss.  
  
A/N: There, more romance. Actually, quite a lot. Lol. ^-^ Be sure to brush your teeth after reading this chapter, wouldn't want cavities! Sorry it's so short. Trying to pack the threads of a plot back into an actual plot-line.  
  
Kenshin: Dove-chan! 400 reviews!  
  
Sano: Pah. Chiki has 2000.  
  
Kenshin: *WHACK* Shh!  
  
Dove: F… four HUNDRED?? WAAHHHH!!!  
  
Soujiro: She's.. very emotional.  
  
Kenshin: *Grins. Shoves the somewhat stale marshmellow sedative's down Dove's throat*  
  
Dove: Zzzzz..  
  
No, I'm not replying to reviews here. I'll probably make a special chapter for it. I'm to lazy. Lol.. If you have an important question, put a ^_- at the end. ^-^  
  
And thanks, for all of the heart-warming reviews telling me how good of a writer I am. Sure do love those.. make me write faster, that they do..  
  
Still calling for Fanart.. thanks to those of you that have offered yours, send it to crescentheart@aol.com! *Rushes to check email* ^_- 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

A/N: Dove: Well. I feel. Stupid.  
  
Kenshin: And?  
  
Dove: *THWACK* Anyhoo. I just noticed, thanks to your fantastic reviews- thankyou- that.. IforgotthatIshotBattousaipoint- blankinthechestinthelastchapterandsoIhavetofixitnow.  
  
Kenshin: And the translation would be: 'I forgot that I shot Battousai point-blank in the chest in the last chapter and so now I have to fix it now.  
  
Sano: How?  
  
Dove: Here's the thing. He was wearing a bullet-proof vest, underneath his outfit. He was wearing some of his battle gear, and he usually adds that as an added procaution. However, the bullet fragmented on impact (Plausable or not, it happened!) and it cut his chest just above where the bullet-proof vest ends. (Lets say it dips some) So it looks like blood is pouring from a gunshot wound when it's just a cut.  
  
And someone challanged the 'first kiss thing'. Okay, her 'kiss' didn't count as her first kiss.. because I have twisted logic. It was a 'peck' and therefore not a kiss. Lol. Hey, It's my little universe! ^_-  
  
And, I don't remember your name, but you gave me like, 8 reviews in a row. I'm talkin' consecutive. So thank you, I hope you enjoy this!  
  
And to everyone else, thanks!!! I'm loving the reviews, over 450!!  
  
Dark Chapter Nineteen  
  
Finally they both pulled back from the kiss. His eyes were a gentle gold. They slowly faded into violet.  
  
Kaoru remembered his gunshot wound, and moved to examine it. He caught her hand.  
  
"It's okay, Kaoru."  
  
"He shot you!"  
  
"I was wearing a bullet-proof vest."  
  
"But- you were bleeding!" Seeing that she wasn't going to cease her worrying until he proved that he was okay, Kenshin pulled his shirt off, revealing the body armor. Just above it was a pretty sizable gash.  
  
It probably hurt, but it wasn't deadly.  
  
She sighed in relief.  
  
Seeing that she was no longer panicked, Kenshin smiled and stood, pulling her up with him.  
  
"Come on." The made their ascent to the twentieth floor.  
  
**  
  
"So, does this building have an elevator?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Why don't you use it?"  
  
Was he BLUSHING?! Kaoru stared. Kenshin was SOOOO blushing!  
  
"I don't like them." Translation: I'm terrified of 'em.  
  
**  
  
"SOUJIRO! WHERE IS IT?!" Soujiro looked up innocently.  
  
"Where is what?"  
  
"THE SWORD THAT GOES RIGHT HERE!!" Kaoru gaped. He was yelling. It was as though Soujiro was his little brother, he let so much emotion out around him. And just like a kid brother, poor Soujiro got blamed for everything.  
  
But this time it was definatly his fault, Kaoru could see the look on the kid's face.  
  
((Ugh. I'm tired. My sugar-high just ran out. I'm going to bed. It's nice and dark in my room.. Unnn.. -DoN signing off-))  
  
((Good morning loyal reader(s)!! ^-^ I'm up and cheerful. And what's scary is that I just found out I am a morning person. I HATE WAKING UP. But I'm always extremely cheerful and exhuberant. However, I'm also a night person because I'm the same at night. So basically I'm an all-day person. How fun.))  
  
"Well, Gee, Mr. Himura, I don't know!"  
  
"Oh REALLY?!" Kenshin dove at the boy, slamming him into the ground. Kaoru started to stand to interfere, and then realized that he was actually hurting him. Just tickling him mercilessly.  
  
"R-really!" Soujiro gasped, through his laughter.  
  
"C'mon, kid, where's my sword!" Kenshin yelled.  
  
"U-under you-your bed! Lemme go!" Soujiro was in tears at this point. Kaoru went into the bedroom, and crawled under the bed. It was actually spacious down there. No wonder Soujiro liked it so much. She reached for sword, and got a good grasp on the hilt. And then she gave it a healthy tug to dislodge it.  
  
It came loose alright. But so did a flurry of pictures. Kaoru stared down at them.  
  
It was Kenshin. His eyes were golden. But warm, and loving. She stared curiously at the other person in the picture. A woman. And he was holding her close in a gentle embrace, their lips hovering just a centimeter apart.  
  
((Remember what I said about no Tomoe? Well, I just got a wonderful plot idea, so I take it back))  
  
She flipped it over.  
  
-Kenshin, Remember this day? When you proposed to me and that picture was taken? I just thought you might like a copy. -Tomoe-  
  
Kaoru blinked uncertaintly. Kenshin.. was married? But. where was Tomoe? Why wasn't she with him? She saw two rings, tied together by what could have been a part of an Obi. It was white, at one point. But instead of the pure color it must have been, it was a dark, brownish color.  
  
'Blood!' She gasped, dropping the rings and the picture. It wasn't her business. Why Kenshin would hide something like that under his BED was beyond her to comprehend. She backed out, holding the sword in a deathgrip.  
  
'None of my business. NONE of my business. NONE! Forget it, Kaoru. Just forget all about it.'  
  
She went back into the livingroom. Kenshin was chasing Soujiro around the room with a pillow, while the smaller boy was waving around a cushion.  
  
"I have your sword." Kaoru didn't recognize her own voice. What was wrong with her? He was entitled to his secret. What was he supposed to do? TELL her? 'Yeah, I proposed to this one girl, just to let you know'. Maybe they'd never married. Perhaps that was it.  
  
Kenshin froze at her tone, and turned uncertaintly. What was wrong with her? Her eyes looked so downcast. But then she seemed to come to an inner agreement and her expression brightened.  
  
Choosing not to comment on it, Kenshin instead took the companion sword from her and smiled.  
  
"Why thank you," And then he turned to Soujiro, "Looks like you get to live another day, runt!" Soujiro snorted.  
  
"You're only three inches or so taller than me!"  
  
"No way, I'm at least a foot taller!"  
  
"Liar!" It was funny to see Kenshin arguing playfully with a boy he'd almost killed a day or two ago. Kaoru remembered the bandages still on her face. How funny, they'd stayed on through everything.  
  
She walked over to a mirror, and proceeded to peel them off. The gashes were scabbed over. They were an angry red. She threw the bandages out - they were of no furthur use to her, since the cuts weren't bleeding. The bandages still on her body she wasn't going to mess with, but she took the one on her wrist off.  
  
A knock sounded at the door, cutting of the light bickering between Kenshin and Soujiro.  
  
"You know the code!" He yelled to the person knocking. There was a snort, and then a click and the door opened.  
  
Sano swaggered in, hands in his pockets and his white shirt open exposing his muscled chest. 'Must be for the intimidation.' Kaoru decided.  
  
"Hey, Kenshin. Hey, Missy. Hey.. Hey, I don't know you!" He finished with his attention on Soujiro.  
  
"I'm Soujiro Seta. You are?" Soujiro examined Sano for a minute, until a flash of recognition went across his face. "You're Zanza!"  
  
"Actually, I prefer Sano when I'm not planning on pounding you into the ground." Sano said jovially. "Anyhoo. Fox-girl said that I was to see if you need medical attention. You got shot at the Doozo Yoroshiku, in case you forgot, Mr. Invincible samurai."  
  
"There are reason's I'm invicible, Mr. Rooster. I was wearing a bullet- proof vest."  
  
"You were bleeding." Sano challanged.  
  
"The bullet, a hollow-point by the way, fragmented when it hit and some of the shrapnel cut just above my vest. That's all."  
  
"Told you wearing such a low-slung vest would come back to haunt you!"  
  
"Well, if it were as high as a normal one I would have to wear a shirt with a higher collar, therefore I'd overheat and pass out in the middle of a fight. Now that wouldn't be good would it, Sano?" Sanosuke snorted at Kenshin's perfectly logical logic.  
  
"So. Why's the kid here?" Kaoru spoke up.  
  
"'Cause Kenshin didn't kill him. Why else? Everyone he hasn't killed so far has ended up here." She grinned. Kenshin rolled his eyes sarcastically.  
  
"Okay.. Kenshin, what's for dinner?" Kenshin blinked at him.  
  
"Inviting yourself over? Again?" Had it been humanly possible, everyone there would have sweat-dropped at Sano.  
  
"Yep. It's to good to pass up." Kenshin sighed.  
  
"Tonight we're having Broccoli and Chicken Cassarole, Wilted Greens With Pasta, and Peach Custards." Soujiro's stomach growled. Laughter bubbled up from inside Kaoru. It was just to funny NOT to laugh at. It wouldn't have been as much if his face hadn't gotten all white, and then red across the cheeks and nose.  
  
**  
  
After dinner, Sano suggested the most juvenile thing he could as they were all relaxing in the livingroom on the couch and various chairs. Namely Kaoru and Kenshin on the couch, Sano in Kenshin's favorite recliner, and Soujiro in an overstuffed armchair.  
  
"Let's play truth or dare!"  
  
"What?!" Kaoru asked  
  
"Sounds fun." Kenshin commented.  
  
"I think so to.." Soujiro ventured.  
  
"What's truth or dare..?" Kaoru ventured.  
  
"It's simple really. Let me show you. Soujiro, truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth.."  
  
"Who was your first kiss?" Soujiro blushed an incandescent shade of red.  
  
"Um. I haven't kissed anyone." Sano hooted.  
  
"Kenshin, truth or dare?"  
  
Kaoru caught on quickly. It was a stupid game, pointless and sometimes embarrassing. But it had an odd fun, an almost magical appeal. It was FUN!  
  
"Kaoru, truth or dare?" Sano asked.  
  
"Dare."  
  
"I dare you to kiss Soujiro." The younger boy sputtered. Kaoru slid off the couch, marched right over to the kid, and kissed him on the cheek. And then she stuck her tounge out at Sano.  
  
"Hey!" He complained.  
  
"You didn't specify."  
  
"Won't make THAT mistake again." Kenshin looked slightly perturbed, but didn't say anything.  
  
"Kenshin. Truth or dare?"  
  
"Truth."  
  
Kaoru's mouth opened to ask him what his favorite color was. Really. Honestly. Truthfully.  
  
((Why is everyone doubting me?! QUIT LOOKING AT ME LIKE I'M CRAZY!!!))  
  
But what came out was totally not what she expected.  
  
"Who's Tomoe?" Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. "I! ACK! I, um, I mean, what's your-" To late. Kenshin's eyes had already flared golden.  
  
Sano lunged to his feet and latched onto Soujiro's shirt, pulling the boy out the door with him.  
  
((*Staring* My Kami-sama. I was just looking at the pictures of when I was younger. When I was in kindergarten, my hairstyle was EXACTLY like Soujiro's!! SCARY!!))  
  
Kenshin's eyes narrowed on her. Kaoru gulped, and stood, putting the arm of the couch between her and Kenshin. She still valued her life.  
  
"I.. I didn't mean to.. to pry. It wasn't supposed-"  
  
Battousai's voice was very cold.  
  
"How did you find out about Tomoe?"  
  
"When, when I got your sword. There were pictures. I.. I read the back of one. I'm sorry, Kenshin!" She was slowly edging for the door. Letting him cool down was a good idea. Yes, a very good idea.  
  
"What gave you the right to do that?"  
  
"I didn't mean to!"  
  
"So I suppose you just 'accidently' read an entire paragraph?"  
  
"It was none of my business. I didn't mean to ask that!"  
  
"Well, you did." He stood. "I don't appreciate you prying into my past, Kaoru." She stomped her foot. Terrified or not, he was over-reacting.  
  
"Yeah, I did. And I already apologized. So please calm down. Now." He hesitated, not used to being spoken to in such a manner.  
  
"Tomoe was to be my wife. Three days before our wedding, I was supposed to commit an assassination. It was a dark room. I decapitated the person in the bed before they could speak. I hit the WRONG person, Kaoru. Tomoe was in that bed, next to the man that I was to kill. She had been cheating on me with him. But I had KILLED her. Kaoru, I KILLED the woman that I loved!" His voice had softened. It broke then, and he sank back into his seat, his eyes violet and so very pained.  
  
Kaoru choked back her own sob when she realized that he was crying. Crying for her.  
  
She slowly shuffled over to him, and then sat next to him. She took Kenshin in her arms hesitantly, and tried to comfort him.  
  
He relaxed in her arms. She felt slightly proud of that fact.  
  
"You didn't mean to.." She whispered. He glared up at her, eyes still violet.  
  
"How do you know that?!"  
  
"Listen to your own voice sometime, Kenshin. That pain.. it's impossible to manufacture. Despite the fact that you didn't mean to, you need to move on!"  
  
"Hmf. Easy for you to say." Kaoru set her jaw.  
  
"You can, though!"  
  
Then she planted a hand on each side of Kenshin's face, and kissed him full on the mouth. He stiffened for a millisecond, and then relaxed.  
  
When they finally broke the kiss, Kaoru whispered,  
  
"See." She whispered. He stared at her blankly for a moment, and then his face softened into a smile.  
  
"Maybe."  
  
A/N: Here ya go. Took me all day because my evil mom kept interrupting me. So I hope you liked it.  
  
Kenshin: Everyone likes me showing a weakness.  
  
Dove: Naw, they just wanted me to lay offa Kaoru a bit.  
  
Kenshin: *Snort*  
  
Dove: OH! And to everyone that hasn't seen Pirates of the Carribean, go see it! It's fantastic! Captain Jack Sparrow is TOTALLY mine!  
  
Kenshin: She's seen it twice and is headed for a third time.  
  
Dove: ^-^ Oh, and I have FOUR manga now! WHOO-HOO! They didn't have any Kenshin manga.. nor did they have all of Inuyasha. So now I have Inuyasha volumes 1, 2, 8, and 13. ^-^  
  
Kenshin: She spent THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS on 3 manga.  
  
Dove: Shaddap. What else.. I get contacts! COOL!! I have glasses. They're evil. And they won't stay up on my face. So now I'm going to get gold contacts and purple contacts. Tommorrow. What's fun is that my eyes are naturally blue. So now I'm going to have all three of Kenshin's eye colors. ^-^ Violet, Blue, and Gold! I can just see me getting mad.. 'Wait, let me change my conacts!' lol..  
  
Kenshin: I'm sure they care.  
  
Sano: You realize that the more you antagonize the authoress, the more she plots your demise, considers making YOU the main character of 'the fic' she's been threatening us with, and glares?  
  
Kenshin: Hmm. That's not something I noticed before..  
  
Soujiro: Moron.  
  
Kenshin: Say that again!  
  
Soujiro: Mor. On.  
  
Kenshin: Grr. *TACKLE*  
  
Dove: I spent two and a half hours cleaning this room! MESS IT UP AND YOU ARE CLEANING IT UP AGAIN!  
  
Sano: *Sits on the bed whistling totally innocently.* 


	20. Chapter Twenty

A/N:   
  
Dove: Oh, it's such a wonderful story. 'Skydweller' by Lady Shiin. She's so cool. ^-^ I hinted at a walk-on, and she actually put me in there! I'm totally estatic! Nothing else would have worked to get me started on this so soon! ^-^  
  
Kenshin: Actually, candy would have.  
  
Dove: Shut UP Kenshin! You're so mmeeaaannn! *Starts sobbing hysterically*  
  
Sano: Now you've done it. A sobbing authoress. Last time she was upset she tortured Kaoru.  
  
Kenshin: Oh yeah…  
  
Sano: Comfort her moron!  
  
Kenshin: Oh no…  
  
Sano: *groan* Come ON! Do it! COMFORT HER SO SHE WON'T WRITE MORE BLOOD-SHED! I DON'T WANT MORE BLOOD-SHED YET!  
  
Dove: You know what's funny? I get nauseas when I see blood, and if there's a lot and I don't look away fast enough I tend to pass out. Yet I sure do write about it a lot. I'm a very violent person, aren't I? *cough*  
  
Random Voices: Yep.  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty (Wow! Chapter TWENTY!)  
  
It had been almost three weeks since Kenshin had admitted to Kaoru that he killed Tomoe, his love. Two weeks and five days since she'd kissed him.  
  
Everything was going well. Soujiro became an 'official' member of the 'family'. Put technically, he was under Kenshin's protection while being free to go where he pleased when he pleased.  
  
But he liked hanging out with them. It was fun to watch their light-hearted bickering. And even more fun to tease Kenshin.  
  
Sano was a frequent visitor, and very often had to pull Kaoru off of Kenshin's throat. Ever since the day Kenshin had told Kaoru about Tomoe, he seemed way more relaxed. If that was even POSSIBLE.  
  
So everything was going good. Everyone was happy, relaxed, and Kenshin hadn't had to assassinate anyone in two weeks.  
  
The gods, obviously, found this to be lacking.  
  
And Kenshin got a call.  
  
"We've been called to meet with Watsuki again." Hiko's voice informed him.  
  
"Ah? Well, it better NOT be at any of the 'gentlemens' clubs." Kenshin growled.  
  
"No, he's having us meet him in a quaint little resturant." After giving the address and time, Hiko hung up and Kenshin was quick to follow suit.  
  
"Hey, Kaoru!"  
  
"Yeah?" She poked her head of the the bathroom, where she was dying Soujiro's hair. His muffled shrieks could be heard in the background.  
  
"We're meeting with Watsuki tonight."  
  
"Okay. When?"  
  
"Six O'clock. At a resturant, so there's no dinner tonight. I suppose we'll have to take Soujiro. It's a traditional resturant, so we have to wear, you know, Japanese clothes. Kimono, Gi, Hakama. That kind of stuff."  
  
Kenshin was a lot more open, and his sentances were longer and more descriptive.  
  
"Yep. Okay." Kaoru grinned and went back into the bathroom as a timer went off. Running water mixed with muffled splashes and screams could be heard clearly through the door.  
  
Kenshin read a book on gardening impassivly.  
  
The door slammed open and Soujiro stormed out.  
  
"LOOK AT ME!!" Kenshin looked up at him, blinked a few times, and burst into laughter.  
  
Soujiro's hair was blue.Very, very blue. The color used to illustrate blue flames. His eyebrows matched. The look on his face was utterly priceless.  
  
"It's not funny! She dyed my HAIR!" He sniffled.  
  
Kaoru came out with her lips pressed together so as to hold in her laughter.  
  
"Well, Soujiro. There's some purple hair dye under the sink. DO NOT ASK." Kenshin informed the boy with a playful smirk.  
  
They both narrowed their eyes at Kaoru, who took off for the bedroom.  
  
She never had a chance.  
  
**  
  
They must have been quite a sight, heading into a traditional Japanese clothing store. Red hair, blue hair, and purple hair.  
  
"So Kenshin." Kaoru asked while examining a rather.. ugly orange Kimono. "Why DID you have that hair dye?"  
  
"A job. Had to dye my hair. Don't ask, kay?" Kaoru chuckled and nodded, moving on to a worse, if possible, puce kimono.  
  
"Okay, Kaoru, try this!" Soujiro pointed to a kimono that had definatly seen better days. And colors, too. It was brown. But not a pretty brown. Not at all.  
  
"Freak." Kaoru stated, throwing a random object at him, which happened to be a blue gi.  
  
"Hey, I LIKE this!" Quickly finding a matching blue Hakama he went to try it on.  
  
"What do you think?" Kaoru turned to see Kenshin modeling a white Hakama and a magenta Gi.  
  
"Pink?" He switched it with a dark green gi.  
  
"Better?"  
  
"Make sure it fits!" And it did. The boys were taken care of. Now Kaoru needed to find something. But nothing caught her eye.  
  
"Hey, Kaoru! Look at this!" Kenshin held up a dark purple Kimono, decorated with black flowers in little boxes.  
  
Kaoru studied it critically for a moment, and then went to try it on, grabbing a matching obi on her way to the dressing room.  
  
**  
  
Kenshin was bored. How long did it take to put a kimono on? Soujiro was also bored, but as amusing himself by juggling hangers. Deciding to join in, Kenshin started tossing hangers at him to juggle.  
  
He was at twenty-six when Kaoru came out.  
  
The kimono fit perfectly. Kenshin considered whether or not she'd been poured into it.  
  
"What do you think?" She asked, blushing.  
  
"I like it!" Soujiro offered, tossing hangers out one-by-one until he was juggling none.  
  
"Good. Because considering how long to took me to get on, I'm NOT taking it off until after tonight."  
  
**  
  
"This is a big place." Kaoru offered, staring up at the building. It had the look of a dojo in the Meiji era. It was almost sixteen stories high.   
  
They headed in.  
  
Once more they must have looked ridiculous. From the neck down, very orderly and traditional. But again with the bright purple hair-dye, the brilliant blue hair-dye, and the shocking red hair.  
  
"I miss my hair." Kaoru murmured.  
  
"YOU miss your hair.." Soujiro shot back. They stuck their tounges out at each other at the exact same time.  
  
((Anyone else notice how Soujiro is acting like Yahiko? The only reason Yahiko isn't there is because I don't much like him. It annoys me how he always calls Kaoru ugly.))  
  
Kenshin's eyes were gold, as they usually were when he met with Hiko. However, he was not all 'cold-hearted grr' like he had been last time. He was actually smiling at them and shaking his head.  
  
"You two should have been siblings."  
  
((Hmm..))  
  
"Sirr…" Drawled a very snooty voice. "Yooour ttaabbllee awwaaiits yooouu." Kaoru and Soujiro both snorted, trying to hold in the laughter at his ridiculous tone.  
  
Three floors later, they arrived at a large table, Hiko was already sitting there, talking softly with another man.  
  
Kaoru examined the man. He wasn't exactly THIN, but she wouldn't call him BEEFY either. He was in-between. His hair was almost white, and very neatly combed back. His eyes had a lively twinkle in them, with something else. Something a bit more sinister.  
  
He was dressed very nicely, with a black Hakama and a gray Gi. Hiko was still wearing that white trenchcoat, but he also wore a green Gi and blue Hakama.  
  
Kenshin caught a few words,  
  
"Sharp," "Rich," and "Job,".  
  
The men noticed their presence and stood.  
  
"You three," Hiko introduced, "This is Watsuki Nobuhiro. Watsuki, this is Kenshin Himura, Soujiro Seta," He'd met Soujiro when Kenshin had the boy placed in his protection – he liked to know who is assassin was 'hanging out' with. "And Kaoru Kamiya." Watsuki raised an eyebrow at her hair, and she turned the red of a crabapple.  
  
"Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Hello. I'm Jessie, and I'll be your waitress this evening. Can I start you off with a drink?"  
  
A/N: A bit of a boring chapter, but it will get better. I know that Kenshin already met Watsuki. But it was just for a second, they barely had time to nod. So they're re-meeting. YO! MY FIC! ^_- But really. I just need lots of reviews to get my creativity flowing again, I'm all out. ^_- *Is greedy*   
  
Kenshin: She just loves her reviews.  
  
Dove: Whatever. Next chapter is going to be fun, and I'm tacking on a review-response chapter at some point, and that's all I know.  
  
Sano: Yep.  
  
Dove: Shut up. You know what's funny? I didn't even plan a plot for this story. Everything that's happened so far.. has just kinda come out of my fingers. I have no control over what is written. I just sit back and read it.  
  
Kenshin: Didn't you mention that once?  
  
Dove: Probably. Well, I'm tired. Seeya.  
  
***REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW! RE- *Clonk****  
  
Kenshin: *Holding Sakabatou and whistling innocently.*  
  
Holy crackers! I JUST BROKE FIVE HUNDRED REVIEWS!!!!!!! *Starts to sob for joy* Oh, and I'm going to be gone until Monday, so anyone who wants me to email them don't get mad if it takes me a while. Family camping trip. 


	21. Chapter Twenty One

A/N:  
  
Dove: Oh gosh, guys, I'm so sorry! I've had HORRIBLE writers block! Since I'm writing Dark as well as two other stories (Time Warp and The Only Way) I haven't been able to think of ANYTHING! And I'm still trying to figure out the highschool chronicles, too!! ARGH!  
  
Kenshin: *Blink* Your mom said to get ready to go.  
  
Dove: *GROAN*  
  
**Five minutes later**  
  
Dove: It's IMPOSSIBLE! I've just snuck Kenshin, Kaoru, Soujiro, Sano, Misao, Aoshi, Hiko, and Watsuki in the back of the car! I'm trying to hide 'em from brother dearest and my wonderful parents! AND I AM WRITING ON A 2 DOLLAR SPIRAL NOTEBOOK! That's WAY over-priced.  
  
Kenshin: SHE CHIBIFIED US!!!  
  
Sano: It's kinda cool, bein' small and all. 'Course, you're always mini.. *Musing*  
  
Kenshin: GRR  
  
Kaoru: HYA!  
  
Dove: OW!  
  
Kaoru: Darnit. My mini-bokken only bruised her knee!  
  
Misao: TOBI KUNAI!!  
  
Dove: YIPE!!  
  
Misao: Argh. They only cut her a little bit! How annoying!  
  
Dove: AUGH! THAT IS IT! YOU ALL WANTED TO COME! ARGHH! *Turns full demon. Kinda a mix between something with wings and a kitsune. Claws, tail, wings, fangs, slit pupils, fox-like ears.*  
  
Kenshin: RETREAT!  
  
Sano: Fujitanokiwamie (Sorry if that's misspelled)!!  
  
Dove: *Sob* You're not even afraid of my in my youkai form!  
  
Kenshin: What ARE you, anyways?  
  
Dove: *Grumble* Isn't it OBVIOUS scar-boy?  
  
Kenshin: Um.. no.  
  
Dove: I'm a Valkyre-Kitsune! Y'know, half angelic demon that ferries the souls of the dead to hell, and half fox-spirit! DUH!  
  
Misao: *Flicks more Kunai*  
  
Dove: DANGIT! *Tail swishes, sending the characters to the front seat*  
  
Flying Characters: YAGHH!  
  
Dove: Oooh CRAP!  
  
Dove's mom: What are these?  
  
Dove: PLUSHIES!  
  
Dove's brother: The anime characters that live in Dove's room.  
  
Dove's dad: Ah. Dove, can you get this black-haired one offa my ear?  
  
Dove: *Rescues Soujiro from dad's ear, Kenshin from the arm rest, Misao and Kaoru from the visor, Sano from the 'seek' button, Watsuki from the lock, and Hiko from her mom's hair* Oh.. ah. *Sweatdrop* Where's Aoshi?  
  
Aoshi: *Drinks some more of Dove's Tropical Sprite Remix*  
  
Dove: .. oh..  
  
Dove's mom: What did I tell you about going full Youkai in the car?  
  
Dove: Sorry. Can't help it. I'll probably be like this the whole time we're here.  
  
Kenshin: *Groans* START THE STORY!  
  
Dove: *Raises eyebrow* Fine, Bossy-bob!  
  
Aoshi: *Ponders the meaning of life*  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-One  
  
After the cheerful waitress had departed, the mood darkened somewhat.  
  
"So.." Watsuki murmured, settling more comfortably on the cushion.  
  
Kaoru had been looking around with thinly veiled facination, but immediately jerked her attention back to the conversation.  
  
"I have a job for you, Battousai."  
  
"Why did you have to MEET me to say this? You could have just given me the orders through Hiko." He muttered.  
  
"Well, I didn't." Watsuki's voice took on a very final, commanding tone.  
  
"Yes, sir." Battousai responded smoothly. Kaoru stayed silent, curious about these new 'orders' and what they had to do with her.  
  
"Hiko has informed me that an opposing Syndicate member is in our territory. He moled into our organization, and we need to know what he knows. He's posing as a math proffessor at a local, prestigious, private highschool.  
  
"I want you and the little lady to pose as students transferred from a different school. Actually, Sanosuke and.. whoever you are.. should probably go in as back-up." Soujiro snorted, but nodded. Sano had nodded the instant his name was mentioned. "Find out who he's working for, what he knows, and then kill him."  
  
Battousai asked a question,  
  
"Why don't you kidnap him and force the information out of him?"  
  
"Because it will be much less messy. He should have things on his computers, and it's rumored he keeps the copied files in his desk where the janitor, an agent for his syndicate group, picks them up once a week and delivers them to whoever they are working for."  
  
Kaoru stayed silent for a while, staring at Watsuki. And then she pressed her lips together in a thin line and slowly shook her head 'no'.  
  
Watsuki looked somewhat surprised.  
  
"No? What do you mean 'No'?" He growled. Kaoru stood shakily to deliver her idealistic speech.  
  
"I don't work for you, Mister Watsuki. And to tell you the truth, I don't much like you, either. I don't spy, and I don't kill. Both of them are morally wrong, and the latter is a mortal sin. I don't plan on even doing either of them."  
  
"She doesn't keep her mouth shut, either." Sano muttered.  
  
Battousai just sat there calmly, making to move to accept Watsuki's orders or stop Kaoru's flow of words.  
  
When she was done, he reached up and gently tugged her, throwing her off balance enough that she had to sit down next to him again.  
  
In a pleasant tone, he whispered,  
  
"But Kaoru. Wouldn't it be wonderful to finish your last months of highschool?" He asked his question purely in a curious way.  
  
"Y..Yes.." She conceded slowly.  
  
"Do you like math?"  
  
"I would if I were any good at it.."  
  
"Well. You can graduate AND have a little fun spying on the math teacher. I can handle the red part." His tone was gentle and persuasive.  
  
Kaoru stared at him mistrustfully for a moment. And then allowed herself a tiny smile. She took a deep breath, chewing thoughtfully on her bottom lip. And then she nodded.  
  
"Okay. I'll do it. For YOU, not Watsuki."  
  
Battousai smiled gently down at her.  
  
Kaoru stared at him. He was being awfully, kind..  
  
He turned his head to Soujiro and Sano, who had been quietly conversing. They nodded in unison.  
  
Battousai turned his falcon gaze on Watsuki.  
  
"I will accept your mission." He informed him, dead-pan, as Jessie returned with their drinks.  
  
Taking their food orders and adding some light banter, Jessie cheered the group up somewhat.  
  
When she left, they practically divided into teams. Watsuki with Hiko, Kenshin with Sano, and Kaoru with Soujiro. The chatter wasn't deafening, but it was light-hearted and somewhat relaxed.  
  
Kaoru wasn't in the mood the chat. She was still puzzling over Kenshin's suddenly 'forward' behavior. It was the last thing she had expected. 'Of course..'  
  
"He was just trying to convince me to do it!" She realized aloud. And then blushed as Soujiro blinked at her. "Sorry.." He continued with his lecture of the finer points of his favorite show, 'Oh! My Goddess'. Normally, Kaoru would have countered with how superior Her wonderful Inuyasha was.  
  
But she was lost in thought.  
  
'That JERK! How could he! I should go bash him upside the head with a noodle!' She thought viciously. And then she mentally sighed. 'Aw, screw it. Sounds like fun to go to highschool again.' That decided, she began to launch an offensive against Soujiro, claiming the wonderfulness of her Inuyasha, how much BETTER it was than his show, how much smarter, the usual.  
  
The food came quickly, and very soon everyone was eating and speaking with everyone in a much more relaxed manner. Kaoru and Soujiro had agreed to dissagree about the best anime of all time.  
  
Watsuki left for about ten minutes, and then came back in hastily tucking a cellphone into his gi.  
  
"Okay, Battousai. The school we're sending you and your group to is a 'rich' school, so you need some things to fit in. Uniforms, the usual school things, a couple of extras. You'll find all of it at your apartment tonight. Except for you, Sano. Yours, of course, will be at your apartment. You're all enrolled as seniors." Smiles all around.  
  
The rest of the dinner was uneventful. Sano poured the tepid tea in Kaoru's hair, she smashed Soujiro's face into a plate of Sushi, he poured cooled Miso soup down the back of Kenshin's Hakama, Kenshin slapped a slab of fried tofu in Sano's hair, and so on.  
  
Watsuki and Hiko stared in shock at the childish antics of their master shadoow assassin.  
  
When they got back to the apartment, they were tired but eager to see what Watsuki had set up for them. They sent Sano packing with an order to be at their door at seven the next morning.  
  
Kenshin opened the big box they found in the middle of the room as Kaoru kicked a Rubber Ducky she'd had the pleasure of stepping on very cheerfully across the room. The very first thing, on the very top, turned out to be Ids.  
  
"So.. we have to be different people while we're at this place?" Soujiro pondered.  
  
"It's called Kiyajo." Kaoru volunteered, picking up the Id with her picture on it. There wasn't just an Id, there was also a special school Id and a drivers license. Cool.  
  
Kenshin was staring at his own.  
  
"My name.. is Hiten Mitsurugi." Kenshin approved. "Flying Heaven's Honorable Sword Flow."  
  
"How the HECK do you know that?" Kaoru questioned.  
  
"Because it's also the name of my sword technique." He smirked at her. His eyes had returned to their normal violet the instant they'd left the resturant, so that smirk looked quite out of place on his innocent face.  
  
"My name is Igazuchi Ouki." Soujiro muttered. "That's a really stupid name."  
  
"It means Thunder Profoundness. It's taken from two of the attacks of my style, the Sou-Ryu-Sen Igazuchi and the Ouki Ama-Kakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki. Obviously they liked referring to how I fight.." He muttered. "The last time I was undercover, they used fruits as their theme.." His eyes turned to Kaoru, Soujiro's following suit.  
  
"So. What's yours?" Soujiro asked before Kenshin had the chance.  
  
"Arashi Tsumuji." Kaoru responded.  
  
"Basically the end of that is 'Gyrate' and the beginning is a much more forceful version." Kenshin murmured. "Ryu-Kan-Sen-Arashi is where the beginning comes from, and Ryu-Kan-Sen-Tsumuji is where the end comes from."  
  
"You have a good memory." Kaoru approved. Kenshin shrugged.  
  
"I've been practicing the Hiten Mitsurugi style since I was eight."  
  
That empowering conversation finished, Kaoru pulled the next items out of the box. Their uniforms.  
  
They split up to try them on, Kaoru to her bedroom, Soujiro to his bathroom (He'd claimed it, and slept in the tub), and Kenshin to the kitchen.  
  
They came out on by one, Kenshin, Soujiro, and then Kaoru.  
  
Kenshin and Soujiro modeled matching outfits that consisted of blue slacks, crisp white dress-shirts, dark blue blazers with the school insignia on the top right (Decorating the small pocket there), and shiny black shoes. Their socks were hidden.  
  
Kaoru was the proud wearer of a much more.. fleshy.. outfit. The skirt ended about two inches above her knee. It was pleated, flared slightly, and was a blue that matched the slacks that graced the guys. She also had a long-sleeved white shirt with a blue scarf, blue socks, and black shoes.  
  
It was all crisp, clean, and slightly nauseating. Her scarf had the school insignia on it, screaming to the world that she went to a private school.  
  
"Well. These are.. odd." She decided aloud. "At my old school we wore jeans and t-shirts.." The other two agreed. And the Soujiro pulled out the next objects to scrutinize. Back-packs.  
  
They were the blue of their uniforms, and proudly sported the school insignia. Kaoru's was an over-a-single-shoulder while the guys both found themselves assigned the normal, every-day kind that went over both shoulders.  
  
Kaoru chuckled, "I'm actually having fun. Didn't even have to go shopping!" Kenshin had the honor of pulling out all of the school supplies and dividing them up. That was it.  
  
After changing back to normal and putting her things away, Kaoru came out to find the guys also dressed normally. Soujiro's hair was black again, and styled in a more spiked-up way. Kenshin's hair was also black, and back in a tight braid.  
  
"Ah, goody." With Kenshin's help, Kaoru also regained her own old haircolor.  
  
"So. What do you want to do with your hair?" Kenshin asked, snipping the scissors noisily next to her ear.  
  
"Well.. A bob."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"About a half an inch below the chin, even all around, surely you know what a BOB is!"  
  
"Oh.." So Soujiro made a nasty commentary ('Oops! There goes an ear!' 'Ooh, she's gonna HATE that!' 'Wow, you're all bald right there!') While Kenshin worked. Until Kaoru pinned him to the ground with her legs and tried to feed him her right foot.  
  
Kenshin held up the mirror as Soujiro finally gave up his struggles.  
  
Kaoru looked in it, and released Soujiro. It looked.. so different. Nothing like her.  
  
"I'm guessing this was so no one would recognize us?"  
  
"Brilliant deduction." Kenshin teased.  
  
"And what about our Id's?"  
  
So Kenshin did another magic-trick. He produced a camera, a polaroid. And then he did some snipping and altering.. and very soon the Id's were sporting their new looks.  
  
"Cool.. where did you learn that..?" Kenshin shrugged.  
  
"We need to get to bed, if we don't want to be zombies tommorrow." That agreed upon with much groaning, they all finally did go to bed.  
  
A/N: Kami-sama this chapter SUCKS! I feel so stupid..  
  
Kenshin: School starts VERY soon, and she might be stuck in Algebra 1 again even though she got a c+.  
  
Dove: Shuddap. I might actually quit Dark. I just.. it's so frustrating! I have ideas out the wazzoo for what's going to happen. But I need many chapters to get there. Opinions? IDEAS?  
  
Sano: And to everyone who was wondering, she added that hair-dye part for fun.  
  
Soujiro: And she won't be able to respond to reviewers, she's a couple HUNDRED behind. So she just wants me to say:  
  
HUGS AND KISSES TO EVERYONE!!! She's so happy and excited to get so many reviews, she hopes it continues, and apologizes for not responding personally anymore.  
  
Oh yeah, Hope you had a great vacation CrazyFireKitsuneGirl..and to the person that wanted her to put in a good word to me, she did and I'm lookin' you up. ^_-  
  
Goodnight. Review. Give ideas. Don't let Dark die. 


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

A/n:  
  
Dove: *Cough* *Gasp* *Wheeze* *Choke*  
  
Kenshin: *Stares*  
  
Sano: So, Dove-chan, I have decided that I WANT a BIGGER role in Dark!  
  
Dove: I.. can't.. breath..  
  
Sano: Yes, I know it is a rather strange thing, me demanding something like that.  
  
Dove: *Passes out and falls out of window into kiddie pool below*  
  
Kenshin: *Imitates Capt. Jack Sparrow and dives in. Drags Dove out. Uses the Sakabatou to cut the 'Obi' on her 'Kimono'.  
  
Dove: *Breaths again**Wakes up* Woah.. All spinny..  
  
Kenshin: She made her own Kimono and Obi. Tied the Obi REALLY tight. Couldn't breath. Passed out. You know the rest.  
  
Dove: *Sits up and addresses camera 6B* I just want to thank all of my spectacular reviewers. Without you, I woulda quit Dark! But I got all of these lovely, long reviews (Most containing death-threats..).. I feel SOO special! And all of the ideas – Thank you SOOO much! I'm going to try to use them all, but if I don't use yours it's probably because I forgot it. ^_-  
  
Kenshin: Who's she talking to?  
  
Sano: *Hops out of window* I don't know.. Now Dove-chan, about my contract..  
  
((Oh, in all seriousness. There WILL be mild cussing in this chapter, and some chapters hereafter. *Shudder* But it's gonna be censored. With the first letter and then *'s. It's just because at my school, they cuss. A lot. And I'm just keeping it 'real'.  
  
Oh, and to the person that asked about the 'beheading' thing. See, he woke the person up, but as soon as he saw them starting to sit up, he attacked. That was how that went down. Does it make sense?))  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Two  
  
//Sometimes,   
  
Everything seems to far away  
  
Sometimes it's hard,  
  
To keep the monsters at bay.  
  
But then I see you,  
  
And everything is okay…//  
  
Light came. Kaoru was aware of someone shaking her. If they didn't stop soon she was going to slug them.  
  
The shaking didn't stop when she mumbled a few choice words and snuggled deeper under the covers (Yes, she had finally started using the blankets). It simply intensified. And there were some words being said to her as well.  
  
Finally, Kaoru lashed out with her fist, and back-fisted her assailent right in the jaw. The unfortunate person went flying halfway across the room and skidded into a wall.  
  
Kaoru sat up then, and blearily looked around, taking in the clock 6 O'clock, what the H***?! and the black-haired person laying spread-eagle on the floor.  
  
"Kenshin!?" She asked through the cotton in her mouth. He stood and smiled.  
  
"Intresting move, the whole 'I'm not sitting up until I punch the Master Assassin in the jaw thing'. It really works for you." Kaoru snorted. She stood, and stretched.  
  
"Sorry.. Instant reaction. I'm not used to people shaking me awake when I'm tired. Last person that did that narrowly avoided a broken jaw."  
  
"Yeah.." Kenshin smiled again, rubbing his sore jaw one last time for good measure. "Anyhoo. Get dressed, and do whatever else you need for school done. We need to get breakfast eaten, drag Sano out of bed, and get to school early to pick up our schedules."  
  
Kaoru yawned so hard that she fell back onto the bed.  
  
"Um-kay.. one condition.."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"What was the mission that you had that hair-dye for?" Kenshin sighed.  
  
"Long story made very short. I had to go undercover in a rock band and the band I was stuck with all dyed their hair. So I ended up doing the same."  
  
"Okay. Cool.." He left, shaking his head and smiling at her.  
  
Kaoru got dressed quickly, glaring down at the skirt. She KNEW she was going to embarress herself.. So she pulled on a pair of very short shorts underneath.  
  
Feeling safer, she headed into the bathroom.  
  
"Soujiro? You in here?" There was a weak mumble.  
  
"Yeah.. hold on.." A disheviled, boxer-clad boy stumbled past her and managed to find his way to a chair before flopping down.  
  
Kaoru smirked. Only Kenshin seemed to be the morning-person out of all of them. She closed the door, and got to work.  
  
**  
  
Sano groaned. And groaned again. A third time. Finally the annoying buzzing to his left gave him the needed intiative to extract an arm from his cocoon of blankets and slam a fist down on the alarm.  
  
Effectivly breaking it.  
  
Which was okay, because he had a closet-full.  
  
As soon as he snuggled down and started to drift again…  
  
The back-up alarm launched into a series of shrieks halfway across the room.  
  
Sano remedied that by picking up the baseball bat laying next to his bed and smashing it down repeatedly until it found the alarm and turned it off. Very violently.  
  
This was a normal morning for him.  
  
He began to drift into dreamland again..  
  
And three alarms went off at the same time. Buzzing, clanging, and honking shattered the comfortable stillness of the room.  
  
"YEEARRGHH!" These alarms were out of reach. He'd have to stand to get to them.  
  
So he got up, mouth hanging open loosely.  
  
Not only was he exhausted, but..  
  
Well, the thirty-eight beer cans littering the floor could explain the rest.  
  
And GODS those alarms were LOUD!!!  
  
So he cheerfully threw them out the window.  
  
Of course, the window wasn't open, and it was barred so that the alarms rebounded and planted themselves firmly on Sano's foot.  
  
He yowled and hopped around looking like a mad-man, waving around his foot, arms pin-wheeling.  
  
Once his morning exercise was taken care of, Sano wasted no time popping three tylenol, and sucking on an ice-cube as he dressed, adding his Aku jacket atop the offical uniform, brushed his hair so that it fell down, reaching mid-shoulder, pulling said hair back in a loose pony-tail at the back of his neck, adding his piercings (Two in the left ear, one in the right, a stud in the nose).  
  
Punk look achieved, Sano decided that this might almost be fun – he'd make Missy do his homework – and also decided to treat himself to a can of beer. He deserved it for getting up and being ready BEFORE he had to be!  
  
**  
  
"KAORU! BREAKFAST IS GETTING COLD!" Soujiro complained.  
  
"You two should be brother and sister.." Kenshin observed once more.  
  
Soujiro grinned.  
  
"That would be fun! I could be her older brother! But.. what about the names?"  
  
"Your mom remarried. You decided to take the dad's name while Kaoru decided to keep the mom's name."  
  
"I am SO an only child!" Kaoru yelled from the doorway. "Besides, Sou-CHAN, I am older than you."  
  
"We can PRETEND!" Soujiro complained. "PLLEEAAASSSEEE? Then I can beat people up for bugging you! It would be FUN! Come ON!"  
  
"Well, when you put it THAT way.." Kaoru snorted at Soujiro. "Oh well. It's not like it actually matters anyway. No one will bug me." Oh how she would eat those words later.  
  
Breakfast came.  
  
Breakfast went.  
  
And it was time to go.  
  
**  
  
Kenshin raised a fist to pound on Sano's door. And was shocked to the point where his jaw dropped some to see a dressed, ready-looking Sano standing there with a ¾ empty beer-can in his hand.  
  
Kaoru was more shocked.  
  
"Sano.. your HAIR!" He smirked at her.  
  
"Like it? It fits the punk thing I'm pullin'. Think anyone'll notice?"  
  
"With you TALKING like that they will! And those piercings – are those REAL?!" Kaoru shouted, pulling on his ears.  
  
"YES! OW! MISSYY!! STOP THAT!! OW!"  
  
While Kaoru and Sano screamed at each other – Kaoru pausing only to breath and Sano only pausing long enough to draw a quick breath and take a swig of beer – Kenshin and Soujiro held a conference.  
  
"They oughta go into wrestling."  
  
"It does look like a grudge-match." Kenshin agreed.  
  
"I think she's gonna take 'im out."  
  
"Hope not. Sano will probably pull on her hair or something."  
  
"It'll be easy, too, since it's down."  
  
"Yeah.."  
  
"Her hair is kinda like a longer version of the hairstyle on that little girl, Tsubame."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"She was that little girl helping Jessie –The WAITRESS, Kenshin – last night, at the Akabeko, you know?"  
  
"Oh, yeah." Kenshin decided to break it up. "C'mon, we gotta go to SCHOOL!" With some groaning and much complaining, they trooped down the stairs. Kenshin pulled Kaoru back with him and let the others got about twenty steps ahead.  
  
"Listen, Kaoru. I know this might not have crossed your mind.. but.. promise me that you won't try to escape from me or something while we're there? I don't want to have to kill you." His eyes were wide and beseeching.  
  
"Of COURSE Kenshin!" The worry in his gaze didn't fade. "I promise that I won't try to escape from you, Kenshin Himura." She said formally, so he would stop looking so worried. Funny how the gods always managed to file EVERY LITTLE THING away.  
  
"Good." He smiled and she smiled and the gods frowned.  
  
((And one god said to another:  
  
g1: What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence?  
  
g2: What time?  
  
g1: TIME TO GET A NEW FENCE! HaHaHaHaHa!  
  
g2: VERRYY funny.))  
  
Kaoru ran up to the front.  
  
"I'm driving!"  
  
"Do you know how?!" She sniffed at Kenshin.  
  
"I have a license. SO yes, I do!" He gulped, his eyes settled on the slowly approaching red car.  
  
"Okay.." After another minute of strolling they reached the car.  
  
The four of them jammed themselves in the car, and Kaoru started it up.  
  
When she took off, Kenshin really wished that he hadn't agreed. She was a LEAD FOOT!!!  
  
As they screeched around another corner, Kaoru reached down and picked up her backpack and started looking through it, not even glancing up at the road.  
  
Kenshin reached out and grabbed the wheel, spinning it some. She seemed sastisfied with whatever she'd been looking for, so took her nose out of the bag and slapped his hand away while at the same time plopping the bag down.  
  
"Are you trying to KILL us?!" She asked him almost angrily.  
  
"Ah, no. That's your job.." Kenshin grumbled, grabbing his seatbelt so hard that his knuckles turned white.  
  
The other two in the back had said nothing. Soujiro was dead white, head between his legs, and Sano had his window rolled down and was sticking his head out of it like some sort of dog. The wind didn't even make a STRAND of his hair move. Kenshin decided that this was completely unfair.  
  
**  
  
Somehow, they managed to get to school with no arrests, deaths, or high-speed chases. Kenshin made a mental note: knock her out and toss her in the trunk next time she wants to drive.  
  
"That was FUN!" She announced, giggling madly.  
  
**  
  
And then they headed towards the large, glass double-doors at the front of the school. There was a collective gulp, as all four of them pushed at once.  
  
[[I should end it here. Hmmm. Naw, I'm bored and I have all night to write.]]  
  
The halls were mostly empty, they'd be fuller once people started showing up. Considering that they'd arrived over twenty minutes before the first bus came.  
  
The 'highschool' probably could have passed as a college. It was HUGE. There was a thick, soft carpet and it had an oddly lived-in feeling. Instead of the cold look that usually accompanied a school.  
  
The main color code was very simple. White walls, gray carpeting. All softly faded.  
  
Kaoru was staring around with huge eyes. Her highschool had been 'blessed' with hard carpeting of a completely undiscernable color, and peach-colored stone walls. It definatly didn't have the comfortable aura.  
  
((And now that half a page has been dedicated to a completely pointless cause..))  
  
A large oak sign announced that they'd discovered the office. Kenshin swung the maple door open.  
  
'Funny, the sign is oak and the door is maple. Why not BOTH maple or BOTH oak?' He mused pointlessly as he ushered them in.  
  
The woman behind the desk looked up impatiently, her eyes slightly narrowed.  
  
"Yes?" She snapped. Her black hair was held slightly back from her face with a thin ribbon, and she wore a rather skimpy black outfit. Oddly enough, Kaoru found herself reminded of a villian from Inuyasha. Yura of the hair.  
  
She was severely creeped out to see that her nameplate read 'Yura Tressez'.  
  
"Hello, I'm Hiten Mitsurugi. My friends over there, Igazuchi Ouki and Arashi Tsumuji and.. him.." Sano snorted and added his name to the pile,  
  
"Tsuisho Kuzuryu."  
  
((Since Kenshin can't translate here, That means 'Mallot Rising' 'Nine-headed-Dragon' derived from Ryu-Tsui-Sho-Sen and Ku-Zu-Ryu-Sen.))  
  
"Yes. Tsuisho Kuzuryu. We're the transfer students, we were told to come here and get our schedules." He kept his tone nervous and polite, despite the fact that the look on the woman's face was quite irritating. She seemed ready to fall asleep.  
  
"La? Oh, okay. You have to go talk to the principal. Ms. Mettalium. Through that door." She pointed with a slightly more pleasant smile.  
  
They walked in a single-line formation. There was a big, sunny sign on the door that lead into the office.  
  
'I'm your Pal! Your Princi-pal!'  
  
((Yes, I got this from Dancing Plums and 8th grade literature. It's just to perfect, I HAD to use it. Great story, though. READ IT. *Subliminal message*))  
  
There was a big smiley-face drawn on it. Kaoru felt herself relax some. She expected to see a slightly plump, smiling, elderly woman sitting behind the desk sipping tea.  
  
Instead she was greeted with a shocking sight when the door opened.  
  
There was a haze of smoke, but not bad enough to obscure vision. It was quite smelly, though. There was a woman in there who looked no older than twenty-three, puffing away on a cigarette. The butts of over twenty others rested cheerfully in an ashtray by her elbow.   
  
She was reading. Her long blonde hair was to bright and shiny NOT to have been dyed. And she was wearing a very skimpy outfit, the school symbol blazoned on the front.  
  
Kaoru took all of the details in and filed them away in less than a minute. She was sure that Kenshin had already figured out every escape route, every danger, every weapon, and every other thing in less time than it took her to blink.  
  
"Hello, Ms. Mettalium. I-"  
  
"I heard, darling. Take a seat, all of you." They did. The woman's eyes passed distastefully over Sano's outfit, but she did not comment.  
  
They waited in silence for a minute. She was staring at them, they were staring at her. A very intresting standoff.  
  
Kaoru found herself starting to drift into sleep.  
  
Soujiro jabbed his elbow sharply into her side, waking her up and causing her to reflexivly slam her fist into his gut.  
  
While he coughed, the woman began to speak.  
  
"Well, I'm glad that you four have become students here. Here are some maps.." She shoved four pieces of paper crammed full of lines and numbers towards them.  
  
Kaoru stared at hers in shock. 'D***..' Kiyajo was at least three-fold larger than her old school. Kenshin seemed a little bit surprised, Sano's eyes were wide, and Soujiro was impassive, his left eyebrow twitching slightly.  
  
"And your schedules. Any questions?" Upon receiving their nods, Ms. Mettalium stubbed her cigarette out, simultaniously lighting another. "Good. Then go. School starts in twenty-three minutes." And that was that.  
  
**  
  
A/N: I'm wayy to tired to continue going. It's 9 pages long, that's pretty long for me! Times New Roman, size 12!  
  
Kenshin: *Shrug* She tried to make 14 pages, but ran out of steam. Considering that she was up until 5am last night.  
  
Dove: *Mutter* Shut up, and leave that one alone.  
  
Kenshin: Why? Were you NOT hangin' out with your friend makin' fun of how spoiled Anna Nichole is?  
  
Dove: *Blushes* Yes! I WAS!  
  
Kenshin: Ha.  
  
Dove: *Grumble* Oh yeah, does anyone out there like the Dragonriders of Pern series? If you do, I have a Neopian Guild you might like. *Grin*. If you wanna know about it, say so in your review and I'll email you.  
  
Kenshin: Total shameless advertising.  
  
Dove: Shut up and help me figure out how I'm going to cut my hair in an A-line bob when my bangs are only to my lips, not my chin.  
  
Kamatari: Oh, I can help you THERE, Doll!  
  
Dove: *Blanch* Oh.. good.. 


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

A/N:  
  
Dove: This.. was a hard chapter to write..  
  
Kenshin: She's sad because school is starting today.  
  
Sano: But she promises to get a chapter of Dark out per week, no matter how much homework is piled on her!  
  
Dove: I had it started.. but it was stupid..  
  
Kenshin: She's slightly zoned out..  
  
Dove: And then I got hit with a plot-twist so hard that I fell off of my chair..  
  
Sano: ..onto me..  
  
Dove: And then I started writing the chapter. It didn't write it's self like most of the chapters do, but it was still okay.  
  
Kenshin: Yep..  
  
Dove: And someone asked about where I got my information the Valkyre. I looked it up on an online dictionary. It might be wrong. But I like it. Heh.  
  
Kenshin: *Suddenly draws Sakabatou and slices Dove in half.*  
  
Dove: AGG! KENSHIN!! IT TOOK ME A MONTH TO PUT THIS CLONE TOGETHER! *Glares*  
  
Kenshin: I KNEW it wasn't you!  
  
Dove: *Leaps through the air to tackle him*  
  
Kenshin: *Side-steps*  
  
Dove: *Smashes into Aoshi* AGH!  
  
Aoshi: Eh?  
  
Misao: *Evil eyes* GRRRR  
  
Dove: Crap..  
  
*Loud crashes, yelps, and bangs*  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Three  
  
Kaoru's first class was Spanish. She had it with Soujiro. She could count to ten.. he could say 'Hello, how are you?'. So they were basically both at the same disadvantage.  
  
Kenshin and Sano were in chemistry. This worried Kaoru somewhat. She kind of didn't want the school levelled before the mission could be completed.  
  
As soon as she and her 'brother' walked into the classroom, whispers began.  
  
"Ah, Miss Tsumuji and Mr.Ouki, I presume?" The teacher asked, a pleasant smile on his face.  
  
"Yes." Soujiro answered for them, grinning cheerfully. Kaoru tried to ignore the whispers, she couldn't tell if they were hostile or friendly. Frankly she didn't care.  
  
"Well, introduce yourselves to the class!" Kaoru suppressed a groan. Soujiro jumped right in.  
  
"I'm Igazuchi Ouki – I just go by Ouki. That's my little sister, Arashi Tsumuji. She prefers Arashi.We transferred here from a private school elsewhere. Any questions?" The teacher looked slightly surprised at his tone, and then waved towards the seats.  
  
"Any volunteers?" A very pretty girl with long black hair and pink eyeshadow waved her hand.  
  
"Arashi can sit next to me, if she'd like!" She offered cheerfully. Kaoru blushed at the girl's eagerness to sit by her. The teacher nodded, so Kaoru took the seat next to her and managed a smile.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sango!" The girl offered before Kaoru could say anything. Kaoru managed to keep her jaw from dropping. Sccaarryy..  
  
"Um.. hi. Nice to meet you." Kaoru responded, hastily pulling a notebook and pencil out of her bag as Soujiro took a seat next to a burly boy who looked more willing to pound on his face than to sit next to him.  
  
Kaoru hoped he'd be okay.  
  
And then class began.  
  
**  
  
"Sano, add the BLUE liquid, not the-" BLAM!!  
  
"Kenshin, I'M COLOR BLIND!"  
  
"Well, then stop doing-" BOOOM "D*** IT Sano!!"  
  
**  
  
Lunch time came around, after Kaoru attended English with Kenshin, Sano and Soujiro suffered through basic computers, and then all of them were together for History.  
  
"School food actually tastes good here.." Kaoru muttered through her mouthful of ham sandwich.  
  
"It should, most of these students pay 10,000 or more a year to attend this place." Soujiro responded.  
  
"I would NEVER pay that much to go to school." Kaoru muttered. "As much as I like it." Kenshin had been quietly looking through their schedules.  
  
"Kaoru, Sano, Soujiro.. we all have math next hour." The air became somewhat tense.  
  
"What.. what should we do?" Kaoru asked somewhat shakily.  
  
"The same thing we would in any other class. But we have to come up with a way to.. well, as Sano would put it, 'Case the place' so that we can come at night and do some real spying. After school works as well. Teachers tend to leave the room a lot." Kenshin started to add something, but was cut off when a giggling gaggle of girls came up behind him.  
  
"Ooh, you're Kenshin Himura? You're so cute!" Kaoru almost started laughing. HE WAS BLUSHING!  
  
"Oh..um.. thanks."  
  
"Would you like to go to the dance next Friday with me?" Kenshin reached over and gripped Kaoru's hand.  
  
"I'm sorry, but I must decline." Kaoru felt every one of those girls shooting eye-daggers at her. They left, the air around them thick with dissapointment and annoyance.  
  
"Girls have been after him all day." Sano grumbled. From his tone, Kaoru guessed that they'd been neglecting him.  
  
"You're Atashi, right?" Asked a voice behind Kaoru. She spun on her seat.  
  
"Yes.. I am.."  
  
"My friend asked me to give you this." Shoving the note into Kaoru's hands, the boy raced off.  
  
"How odd.." Kaoru murmured, unfolding the paper.  
  
'Miss Atashi, meet me at the back of the school.'  
  
That was all it said.  
  
"What does it say, Kaoru?"  
  
"Nothing." Kaoru giggled, shoving the note into her bag.  
  
**  
  
Math class came, and it was very simple. Kaoru almost forgot the mission.The teacher was a tall man, with a shining white smile. He reminded her of a of those cliché 'knight in shining armor'. He had thick blonde hair and deep blue eyes.  
  
And a good speaking voice, too.  
  
**  
  
The rest of the day was uneventful.  
  
After the last bell, Kaoru informed Kenshin that she needed to do something and would be right back.  
  
And then she went to see what this mystery note-writer wanted.  
  
Everything was dark. She couldn't see anyone.  
  
And then she heard a voice.  
  
"So, you're here." And suddenly found herself surrounded.  
  
'This is beginning to look like a BAD idea..' she thought absently.  
  
**  
  
Soujiro claimed that he needed to go to the bathroom while they were waiting for Kaoru, and so entered the school once more.  
  
He did go into the bathroom, but then he whipped a cellphone out.  
  
"Hello, Mr. Shishio? Yes, I have their complete trust. When do you want to put the plan in motion?" Silence. "Of course, Mr. Shishio. I will. Have a nice day!" And then he hung up.  
  
**  
  
A/N: Anyone see that coming? Heh. Sorry this chapter sucks.. I'm WAY nervous about school (I always do that, get totally stressed before the first day) and I'm really tired. But I wanted to get SOMETHING out.  
  
So how 'bout a little support, hmm? Like five or six reviews? ^_-  
  
And Ryu, check on our RP, I posted! ^-^  
  
*Strolls off to finish getting things in order for school.*  
  
Kenshin: Sano, go put her books back where they're supposed to be before she notices!  
  
Sano: *Pout* Spoil Sport.. 


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

A/N:  
  
Dove: First of all, I want to apologize for my typo.  
  
Kenshin: She meant to put 'Hiten' not 'Kenshin'.  
  
Dove: And another thing..  
  
Sano: Here it comes..  
  
Dove: I'M IN HIGHSCHOOL NOW! WHOOOOTT!! *Dances like a maniac*  
  
Kenshin: Sano. Get the marshmellows.  
  
Sano: We're out!  
  
Kenshin: Then. Get. The. Zanbatou..  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Four  
  
"Wh.. what do you want?" Kaoru asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.  
  
The people circled in closer. She counted eight guys and three girls.  
  
"You turned down our leader, Koga!" 'A gang!' She realized, the tan-and-blue colorcode sinking in.  
  
Kaoru had to think for a minute before she remembered the rude boy with black hair and blue eyes that had announced she was going out with him. He'd been wearing the same outfit as the people that were snarling at her.  
  
"Is your leader THAT lame?" She growled, slightly annoyed.  
  
The one who'd been doing the talking to that point cracked his knuckles.  
  
"Our leader don't know we here. Dis be our fight!"  
  
"Proper english, moron. 'Our leader doesn't know we're here. This is our fight.' Repeat after me." Kaoru challanged.  
  
The 'leader' of the moment growled and advanced. The others followed his lead.  
  
"You don't want to do this.." Kaoru warned. 'How stupid and immature!' She thought ferociously.  
  
A fist connected with her jaw and sent her stumbling a few paces backwards.  
  
Kaoru couldn't figure out why the almost-healed scars on her face didn't cause them to shy away somewhat.  
  
Another fist hit her head, millimeters from her temple. Kaoru was grateful – it was a powerful punch, had they hit her temple she'd have a concussion.  
  
Yet another fist, slightly less powerful, slammed into her gut.  
  
NOW she was pissed.  
  
"You asked-" And yet ANOTHER fist smashed into her mouth, splitting her lips. "-For it." Akuma finished, spitting blood out of her mouth.  
  
The attackers paused for a moment, confused at the sudden change in their prey.   
  
"What? NOW you're all afraid?" Akuma challanged.  
  
The 'leader' lunged. Normally Akuma would have fought to kill. But these were small-time enemies so she held back.  
  
She neatly kneed her attacker in the gut and sent him flying with a spinning kick.  
  
Her other attackers converged, and she dispatched each neatly.  
  
Akuma stumbled back to the car, blood tricking from her lips. She had large bruises on her stomach and head, and a black eye forming from a lucky sucker-punch.  
  
Just as she reached the car, she switched personalities.  
  
"KAORU!" Kenshin gasped. He'd smelled blood, but hadn't been sure if it was real or he was imagining it. "What happened?!"  
  
Rumor looked up, looking just as confused and worried as Kenshin.  
  
"I.. I don't know." She admitted. "Judging from the state I'm in, I appear to have been in a fight. And judging from the condition of my knuckles, I'd say I won." She smirked.  
  
Kenshin looked closely at her eyes. 'Rumor!' He realized, 'Not Kaoru.'  
  
He finally asked, "Don't you feel any pain?"  
  
"Pain?" Rumor smiled. "Yes. I feel pain."  
  
"Then why are you smiling?" Rumor frowned.  
  
"Because it doesn't bother me. I'm strong enough to ignore pain."  
  
"Your shirt is ruined," Soujiro mentioned, smiling. Rumor blinked at him in confusion, and then looked down at her bloodied blouse.  
  
"Huh.." She muttered.  
  
Kenshin was still puzzling over Rumor's last comment. 'She's.. strong enough to IGNORE..?' Finally it clicked and he remembered that Rumor had been 'born' because Kaoru's mind hadn't been able to handle the pain that had come with the sudden malevolence of her leukemia.  
  
So obviously Rumor's mind had to be pretty much numbed to the feelings associated with pain.  
  
Soujiro and Rumor were chatting amiably.  
  
Kenshin stared in facination as they returned to their flame-blue.  
  
Kaoru's knees buckled slightly and she stumbled a bit.  
  
"K-Kenshin? Woah.." She muttered, holding her forehead with the palm of her hand. She groaned, rubbing her temples gently with her pointer and middle fingers. "Dizzy.." She muttered.  
  
Sano finally returned from whatever he'd been doing to amuse himself for the last twenty-five minutes.  
  
Kenshin helped a highly confused Kaoru into his car with a joking, 'Try not to bleed on my upholstry, I just had it redone after your LAST bloody escapade'.  
  
She giggled and then turned her energies to keeping the dripping blood from her mouth off of the seat.  
  
***  
  
"So. What happened, missy?" Sano questioned when they were back at Kenshin's apartment.  
  
He ran the alcohol swab over her bottom lip and dabbed at the top one. The back of the couch made it impossible for her to jerk her head backwards and she couldn't turn her head because of the pillows stacked around her.  
  
"OOOWWW!! Sannnooooo!!" She complained.  
  
"You don't want to get infected!" He chided, dabbing once again.  
  
"You'll get yours." She muttered darkly, and inhaled sharply through her teeth as he dabbed some more.  
  
((Crap.. I need to pay attention.. I'm in Spanish..))  
  
((Okay. Your lovely Dove-chan is back. Aohla, Buenas Tardes, Presente, Buenos Dias, Moi Bien, Gracias, Como Te Llama.. yep, I remember it all. ^_-))  
  
"I head that a lot. Are you all trying to tell me something here?" Sano mocked. "Anyways. Again, what happened?"  
  
"I got – OW!! – a note to meet someone at the back of the school."  
  
"Who signed it?"  
  
"It was anonymous.."  
  
"You are one of the most stupid, naïve people I have ever met! You don't go to a meeting outside of a highschool when an unsigned note delivered by a guy you probably couldn't name in a line-up tells you to!" Sano raved. Kaoru pouted.  
  
"It was stupid. I get that." She groused.  
  
Sano gave the wounds on her mouth a cursorary last swipe before handing her and ice-pack to put on her eye – it was swollen shut by then.  
  
Kaoru heard muffled splashing and cursing.  
  
"Ah.. Sano..?"  
  
"Mmh?"  
  
"What's Kenshin doing?" Sano smirked, but Soujiro answered.  
  
"Your laundry." He drawled casually. Her jaw dropped.  
  
"Breathe, missy." Sano tapped her chin. She half-heartedly swung a cushion at him, missing by a good two and a half feet.  
  
"WHY is he doing my laungry?"  
  
"Blood-stains are a bit suspicious at a laundromat, missy. 'Specially when it's not all your blood.  
  
"So. He can cook. He can clean. He can keep a house in a general state of orderly chaos. What CAN'T he do?!"  
  
"Dance. He knows the waltz and the tango and stuff, but if that man ever went to a club, he'd be shocked. And he's horrible at sewing, too."  
  
Kaoru snorted. Leave it to Sano to come up with really weird weaknesses.  
  
Kenshin came out soaking wet and covered in bright red bubbles.  
  
But he was grinning.  
  
"I got your uniform clean, Kaoru!"  
  
***  
  
Over the next week of school, no one could get close to the math teacher's desk.  
  
Guys still pursued Kaoru, but passibly. The news that she'd pounded the Wulvez into the ground with little more than a black eye and bloodied lips traveled like wildfire.  
  
Finally, Kaoru saw her chance when the teacher offered an extra after-school 'tutoring' of sorts.  
  
"Any volunteers?" Her hand shot up. "Ah. Good. Miss Tsumuji."  
  
"Are you sure you can handle it alone, Kaoru?" Kenshin whispered, worriedly.  
  
He and Sano had a mission – they wouldn't tell Kaoru what it was.  
  
"Yes, Kenshin. Of course I can!" She grumbled. Soujiro had stayed at the apartment because he'd managed to catch the flu.  
  
***  
  
Kaoru sat in her desk, pretending to do math. Everyone else had left already, but she 'didn't understand'.  
  
The instant that the teacher left the room to run something off, she raced to his desk and started pawing through his drawers.  
  
She found a locked drawer and proceeded to pick the lock – with some effort. She wasn't a person who found it easy to break into things. It took her almost fifteen minutes to get a jar of pickles open.  
  
Kaoru found what she was looking for. She flipped quickly through the neatly labelled folders until she found the one with the name of the syndicate branch that Kenshin belonged to.  
  
She flipped it open and scanned it quickly to be sure.  
  
And then she heard footsteps approaching.  
  
Kaoru panicked and did the first thing that she could think of.  
  
She froze.  
  
The door opened.  
  
The teacher stared at her for a moment before his face twisted into an angry snarl.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?!" He growled, his menacing voice almost as chilling as Battousai's.  
  
"Looking for a pencil?" She offered weakly. The man drew a gun. For a second, it looked like a foreign object.  
  
It was small, Kaoru thought it might be a barretta.  
  
It came right out of his pocket as though he was drawing a sword and he pointed it at her steadily.  
  
"SPY!" She spat ferociously. Kaoru shrugged.  
  
"Well.. yeah.." His finger tightened on the trigger, and he opened his mouth to speak, it looked as though he was going to order her to go somewhere.  
  
Kaoru felt tiny beads of sweat spring up on her hairline, and ice spread through her body – starting at the stomach.  
  
The window to her left smashed in. They both turned slightly. Soujiro stepped calmly inside.  
  
Kaoru was impressed – the room was on the second floory. Her eyes fell on Soujiro's hands. He was holding an AK-47 in the right one.  
  
But something was wrong.  
  
Kaoru realized that the gun was trained directly on her right shoulder.  
  
"TENKEN!" The 'math teacher' gasped. He looked ready to growled at the boy's feet.  
  
Kaoru didn't understand – the teacher hadn't reached that way while they were in class!  
  
"Soujiro.. what are you doing?" She asked.  
  
"Who fo you work for?" Soujiro chirped impartially, ignoring Kaoru. There was a big smile on his face.  
  
"Tenken, what are you-?"  
  
"WHO do you work for, Mr. Unji?"  
  
"Shishio Makoto..?"  
  
"Are you askking me, or telling me?"  
  
"SOUJIRO!!" Kaoru hissed urgently.  
  
"Yes, Kaoru?"  
  
"Quite pointing that gun at me and tell me what you're doing her when you're supposed to be at Kenshins' apartment with the flu!"  
  
Soujiro shook his head, still grinning. He didn't move the gun.  
  
"I played sick. I just didn't want to go to school. But then I got the feeling that something was wrong so I caught a bus, ran here, and saw you and Mr. Unji in that stand-off through the window." The gun went off.  
  
Kaoru gasped and winced, but the bullet flew right over her shoulder.   
  
She heard a sound suspiciously like a 'Gyuu..' from behind her. Kaoru spun to see that the other man was behind her, frozen in place, with his arm posed to pistol-whip her with the barretta.  
  
There was a hole in his chest.  
  
"Our.. orders.. were.. you.. kidnap.. her..!" He gasped, his face confused. A thin line of blood trickled from his lips and Kaoru stared at his eyes as they rolled back in his head and he dropped backwards.  
  
"W-what did he mean, Soujiro?" Kaoru stammered.  
  
"Why don't we go to a quaint little tea-shop I saw on my way here?" Soujiro offered evasivly. Kaoru nodded uncertaintly. She followed Soujiro rather numbly out of the school, onto the bus, off of the bus, and into the teahouse. All after he'd hidden the body and placed the folder out in the open.  
  
When they were settled, Kaoru voiced her question once more – following it up with a sip of tea.  
  
"I suppose I should start at the beginning."  
  
Nod.  
  
"Well, first god said-"  
  
"Soujiro!" Kaoru smiled some.  
  
"Much better. Now, let's see here.. first of all, I'm not 16 or so, I'm 24."  
  
"You're only four years younger than Kenshin?!"  
  
"Yep. My parents died when I was seven or eight. I had a five-or-six year old younger sister. I was taken from her and adopted almost immediately. But my 'loving family' was actually a physically abusive father, a verbally abusive mother, two 'brothers' who hated me, and a 'sister' who was the biggest spoiled brat I have ever seen. They made me work for them.  
  
"One day, after a particularly bad beating, I was outside and saw a man in all back kill a cop. He promised to keep me alive if I returned the favor. So I kept him in the barn, fed him, and got him some bandages for some cuts he had. He gave me his Wakizashi as a 'thank you'. My 'parents' were watching America's most wanted and they somehow figured out my secret and tried to kill me so that they could get the reward for Mr. Shishio.  
  
"I drew the Wakizashi and killed all five. And then Mr. Shishio took me with him when he left.  
  
"I trained me and I became known as 'Tenken'. And then I started looking for the younger sister that I remembered having.  
  
"In the records room I found a file on you. You're inheriting 600-something million dollars and an incredible house when you're 21. Koshijirou Kamiya had adopted you and his mission was to try his darndest to drive you insane so that all of the inheritance would be rerouted to him and he, in turn, could give it to the syndicate.  
  
"I saw your six-year-old picture and realized that you were my little sister. I approached Watsuki, realizing that he was the 'real' good guy. If that term can be applied to anyone in the syndicate. He placed me under Hiko as a double-agent against Mr. Shishio.  
  
"THAT is why you were really captured. To save you from Koshijirou. Of course we couldn't let Battousai, nor you, know this. Which is why we came up with that story and sent one of our youngest members, Yahiko, to finalize it.  
  
"I didn't realize that Hiko was planning to threaten your life. When I found out, I was FURIOUS. And a bit surprised that Battousai had grown that attatched to you.  
  
"It took me weeks to figure out how to discreetly 'invade' your little group. When Mr. Shishio kidnapped you, he inadvertantly provided me with the needed opportunity. I just rushed to be in the same room as Koshijirou when Battousai found him.  
  
In reference to Mr. Unji's comment, Mr. Shishio ordered he and myself to kidnap you. Mostly to get back at Battousai for interfering with his first attempt.  
  
And that's my whole story. Thank the gods that Battousai killed Koshijirou before I did."  
  
Kaoru was staring towards the general direction that Soujiro was sitting.  
  
"He killed my father?" She could faintly remember some mention of it, but had been positive she'd been imagining it.  
  
"Kaoru.." Soujiro set his tea down and took her cup from her hands gently – lest she drop or shatter it. Arranging it next to his on the table, he waited for her reaction.  
  
But she seemed to be trying selective memory on for size.  
  
"I'm inheriting something?" She smiled slightly. "Every girl's dream." She paused. "So.. you're my brother, Soujiro?"  
  
"Yeah.." He'd kinda been hoping she'd forgotten that crucial part. He practically jumped out of his seat when she suddenly turned and wrapped her arms around him, resting her forehead on his shoulder. He felt warm tears soaking his t-shirt.  
  
"Would you like to know our real last name?" Soujiro whispered, ignoring the stares that Kaoru had attracted with her odd behavior. She nodded.  
  
In truth, Kaoru remembered everything Soujiro had told her. But she didn't want to talk about the fact that his confirmation of the death of her 'father' made her feel more happy than she'd ever had the pleasure of feeling, and gave her soul the right to be completely free. A great weight was lifted from her shoulders.  
  
She wasn't crying from any sort of pain, her tears were tears of utter joy.  
  
"Our last name is-"  
  
((HIMURA! Bwahahaha! Shoot. I just ruined the seriousness and angst of this chapter. Darnit!))  
  
***  
  
"Sano! She isn't here, either!" Kenshin growled. The ruffian was slumped in a relaxed pose, but Kenshin could smell his tangy sweat and hear the worried crackling of his knuckles.  
  
"Call Hiko, Ke-" He stopped short when a drop of blood hit his nose. They looked up in unison. Sano reached up and punched the ceiling tile. The dead body of their Algebra teacher tumbled out and hit the ground with a sickening thud, his head lolling.  
  
((ME? Harboring ill will towards math? Naawww..))  
  
"Sano. Give me your cell." Kenshin ordered sharply. The slightly pale other man complied instantly.  
  
***  
  
After a five minute phone conversation, Hiko sent a clean-up crew to the school to fix the window, collect the files – especially the one on Hiko's syndicate branch they'd found on the desk – and erase all evidence. Including the body.  
  
"It's okay, Kenshin." Hiko said semi-soothingly. "We have a search party. You and Sano need to go back to your apartment and wait, Kenshin." The red-head nodded a half-hearted agreement.  
  
Hiko whipped his cellphone out the instant that he saw them leave the building.  
  
***  
  
"-Agarais." Kaoru let the name run through her mind, nodding slowly. "As far as I know, we both kept our first names."  
  
Soujiro's phone rang.  
  
"National Praise Pizza Foundation, what can I do for you?" He paused, listened, made an affirmative noise and hung up. "Looks like we have to cut this short, Kaoru. Battousai and Mr. Sagara are panicking."  
  
So they went home. Kenshin was so furious at them that he turned totally 'hunter' on them. Kaoru panicked and locked herself in the bedroom. After Soujiro explained the situation he calmed down and coaxed Kaoru out.  
  
And then they all sat down and had a mature, adult conversation.  
  
Sano: "You're gonna be a millionare? COOL!"  
  
Kenshin: "That was really foolish, Stupid-head!"  
  
Soujiro: "I'm older than Kaoru! NYAH!"  
  
Kaoru: "I'm and heiress and can buy my own country! NYAH!"  
  
And so on. And then they went to bed.  
  
((I bet you all are wondering what Soujiro is inheriting.. well.. that.. is a Secret!))  
  
***  
  
The school was closed for a week while the police investigated the dissapearance of their math teacher.  
  
But that week was far from uneventful.  
  
Kenshin was still a master-assassin, and Hiko had suddenly begun to pile him with jobs – sometimes he killed two or three people a night.  
  
Sano managed to piss the leader of a powerful gang off. He got jumped and took a beating almost twice as bad as Kaoru's. Luckily, he was close friends with a different gang leader and they came in and thinned out the crowd for him.  
  
Soujiro tried to hide from Kaoru. And succeeded. For all of thirty-eight minutes.  
  
Kaoru hunted for Soujiro – she wanted answers!  
  
"FOUND YA!" Kaoru cheered, and hauled him out of the closet, where he'd been hiding for the last thiery-eight minutes.  
  
"Yeah.." He groused. She dragged him to the couch.  
  
"You are NOT going to JUST tell me that you're my big brother and leave it at that! I want DETAILS! C'mon!" She whined.  
  
"Fine. FINE! What do you want to know?"  
  
"Who were our parents?"  
  
"Miana and Kanji."  
  
"Our dad was named after a style of writing?!"  
  
"Yeah.. what else do you want to know?" 'There's something he doesn't want to tell me!' Kaoru realized.  
  
After finding out that they'd had no pets, they'd lived in Yokohama, and they their parents had died in a car wreck.. Kaoru gave up on her questioning and just launched into friendly banter about nothing.  
  
***  
  
"Sakion Harium. I am here for your life." Kenshin intoned. He hated the killing, oh how he hated it. But he would NOT let Battousai out. After seeing his Kaoru panic when she saw his yellow eyes, he knew that his becoming Battousai again would be horrifying for her.  
  
His victim snorted with laughter.  
  
"You? The man trapped in a girl's body? PAH!" Kenshin gritted his teeth as the familiar dark ice of Battousai threatened to overwhelm him.  
  
"What a terribly rude thing to say." Kenshin gutted the man like a fish in one swift swing. His eyes got comically wide as a scream gurgled and died in his throat.  
  
Blood, the crimson liquid that had sprayed from the wound ran down Kenshin's face. A taste of it found it's way into his mouth.  
  
Kenshin moaned as the black-velvet darkness of the Battousai broke through his blockades and took control. He hid within his own mind. Even he was afraid of the legendary Battousai, despite the fact that they were one in the same. 'Kaoru!' Was his last concious thought before he went dormant.  
  
Battousai ran his tounge along the length of his blade, savoring the warm, mettalic blood that held a hint of pistachio nuts. He smirked as his weaker, emotional counter-part fled to the depth of their mind.  
  
Sheathing his weapon, Battousai returned to his apartment. 'Lets see how Kaoru will act in the face of the real Battousai in full control, that little show last night was nothing.'  
  
Shading his eyes with his bangs, Battousai opened the door.  
  
"Soujiro. Go talk to Sano for a while, if you would. I need to be alone with Kaoru for a while." He ordered.  
  
"Sure, Kenshin!" Sano obeyed mindlessly, trusting his little sister to the care of the red-haired man smiling at him.  
  
The door closed and suddenly Kaoru got a very uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.  
  
Kenshin lifted his head and she screamed. Kaoru remembered at that moment that the apartment was sound-proof.  
  
She made a break for the bedroom – he never followed her in there!  
  
Battousai was in front of her instantly, his arms going around her and locking like steel bands.  
  
Kaoru stared at him, biting nervously on her lower lip as his golden eyes bit into her own. His hands went to the small of her back, and stopped – going no lower.  
  
Kaoru pushed against his chest, trying to make him let her go. He just pulled her in tighter, her hands being trapped between them in the process.  
  
"What makes you think I'm going to hurt you, Kao-ruu?" He purred, emphasizing her name in an odd way.  
  
"Y-you're Battousai!" Her tone assured him that this was proof enough.  
  
"Verry perceptive.." He drawled. "Can't get anything past you.."  
  
"L-let me go!"  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you, Sparrow. Unless you keep struggling." He soothed.  
  
'S-sparrow?! Why does everyone keep comparing me to a bird? Geesh!' Kaoru though off-handedly.  
  
"Oh? Then WHAT do you want?"  
  
"I want you to trust me, Sparrow. Like you trust Kenshin. We are the same, you know."  
  
"NO!! You're NOT the same!" Kaoru thrashed in his grasp, hitting him as best she could. Battousai grabbed her smoothly by the upper arms and threw her.  
  
Kaoru shrieked with surprise as she hit the couch. Not hard enough to actually hurt, just enough to stun her.  
  
Battousai strode over and sat down casually, pulling her up so that she was sitting up next to him.  
  
"Yes, we are.." He purred, pulling her close. Kaoru whimpered fearfully, the sound so faint that he wasn't sure she was aware that she'd made it.  
  
"You have to accept ALL of Kenshin, Kaoru. Are you willing to do that?" Battousai was putting her on the spot, and he knew it. If she said no, she couldn't have Kenshin. If she said yes, she had to accept the blood-lusting man pinning her to him and the couch.  
  
She was terrified. Battousai could smell it. And he could not only feel, but also hear her heart racing.  
  
"Are you?" He pressed. Kaoru stiffened, and her eyes sparked. And then they dimmed and she slumped against him in defeat.  
  
"Yes.." She whispered, her head was resting against his chest. She could feel his calm heartbeat, and hated him for it.  
  
"You see, that wasn't so hard." His arms tightened and she cringed, instinctivly trying to pull away. She shivered.  
  
The door burst open. Battousai dropped his arms with an annoyed sigh.  
  
Kaoru gave a sigh of relief, and scooted as far away from him as the couch would allow, biting her lower lip. That was becoming a bad habit for her, 'Maybe I'll bring it up..' Battousai thought idly.  
  
And then he turned to his newcomer and listened.  
  
"Kenshin!" Sano cried. "Shis-"  
  
"Shishio's syndicate branch has declared war upon Hiko's. He's preforming a call to arms. You have been summoned." Aoshi interrupted smoothly.  
  
"You, you and Misao will go to the Aoiya. The OniWaban have been called to assist, and we have answered." He finished. Battousai nodded his agreement. Kaoru leapt to her feet and ran out the door, shoving past Aoshi and Sano, her face pale.  
  
"This is it, Battousai." Aoshi continued, after Kaoru and Misao had gone. "If we win, the OniWaban will merge with you and we will have complete control of Kyoto. We only have to eliminate Shishio."  
  
"And his Jupon Gattana.." Battousai reminded him.  
  
"I can help.." Soujiro offered. "I'm the Tenken. I'm supposed to be the 'last of the Juppon Gattana' of course Mr. Shishio doesn't know that I'm not on his side any more." Battousai nodded his acceptance.  
  
Sano finally regained his breath.  
  
"We meet Hiko in an hour to prepare for an assault. We'd better be battle-ready by then."  
  
***  
  
Next Time: Henya, Kamatari. Some Aoiya smashing. We FINALLY get to see Kaoru fend for herself without Akuma, Rain, or Rumor. And the war of Shisho Makoto's Syndicate versus Hiko Seijuro's Syndicate begins!  
  
***  
  
A/N:  
  
Dove: This was had hard chapter to write. I really took my time. I've been wokring on it all week. Seventeen written pages, 15 typed.  
  
Kenshin: Woah! WOah! WOAh! WOAH!!!  
  
Dove: Yuusss?  
  
Kenshin: WHY DID I SUDDENLY GO ALL BATTOUSAI!?  
  
Dove: I got bored. And it fit my new plot.  
  
Sano: Looks fun.. so, we ever gonna find out what Shishio's 'plan' was? The one Soujiro called him about.  
  
Dove: Yes. We are. At some point. Later.  
  
Kenshin: I'm sure everyone is happy that you didn't keep Sou-chan evil.  
  
Dove: Yep. I got death-threats about if I did keep him evil.  
  
Sano: Good of them.  
  
Dove: *Groans* I wrote about five or six pages of this on a camping trip. Friday I had PT (Physical Training) for JrROTC. I did 2 minutes straight of push-ups (50) and 2 minutes straight of sit-ups (44).  
  
And if THAT didn't make me sore engouh, I just finished a 2 hour and 15 minute horse ride. I've NEVER ridden a horse before. So right now I couldn't POSSIBLY be ANY more sore.  
  
Now that I've ranted about my sad physical condition..  
  
To answer some questions:  
  
This is from a while back – No, she isn't going to wear the bandages, she already took them off.  
  
More recent – 'English' isn't here as a foreign language. It's here as 'Language arts' you know, the class where you read and write and stuff like that? And I put Spanish in here 'cause I have Spanish and I figured 'Hey, why not?'.  
  
Evillaughingtalkingwall – You are some kinda creepy. But I love getting reviews from ya – keep it up! ^-^  
  
To those who wished me well in school – Thank you! Right now I have straight A's! And s'long as I don't end up with a C all year as the 'big grade' on my progress report, then I'll still be updating. 'Cause of my great encouraging reviews I am actually enjoying school!  
  
What else.. oh! Me and LadyShiin-chan, the authoress of SkyDweller and some other fics are making a combined website! It should be up soon, so look foreward to it! ^-^  
  
Lastly.. THANK YOU TO ALL OF MY FANTASTIC REVIEWERS! I LOVE YOU ALL!! ^-^  
  
Next update Next Monday.  
  
Have a good night, I stayed up WAY late typing this and I'm getting up WAY early tomorrow to post it.. it's a school night! I expect at least 30 reviews! COME ON! TELL YOUR FRIENDS! *Begs and pleads*  
  
G'night, my dear reader-sama's.  
  
(Heh. I managed to drag this out to 17 pages. DANG I'm good! ^-^) 


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

A/N:  
  
Kenshin: Ur.. where is she?  
  
Sano: Where is who?  
  
Kenshin: Dove-chan! I can't find her anywhere - and she needs to start the next chapter!  
  
Sano: Shh..  
  
Both: *Listen*  
  
*Banging noise emanates from Dove's bedroom.*  
  
Both: *Open the door and blink. Instead of the usual scene, Dove banging her head against her desk, they see Dove banging Hiko's head on her desk*  
  
Dove: You *SLAM* Mean *SLAM* JERK! *SLAM*  
  
Hiko: Ooow!! What did I do!?!  
  
Dove: You called Kenshin an idiot!  
  
Hiko: *Groans*  
  
*The fact that Dove has Hiko in a head-lock is made more amusing by the fact that she's at least a full two heads shorter than him.*  
  
Sano: Um.. Dove-chan.. Stop beating up on the Master of the Hiten Mitsurugi style..  
  
Dove: NO!  
  
Soujiro: Ppppllleeeeeaaaaaaassssseeee??  
  
Dove: *Growl* FINE!!!  
  
--  
  
And to the person that figured out my Koga thing, yes that was an Inuyasha reference. ^-^ Good job! You get a cookie! ^_-  
  
--  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Five  
  
**The War Part One**  
  
"What's wrong, Kaoru?" Misao asked as she drove her purple mustang towards the Aoiya. Kaoru was seated next to her, shivering. Her face was dead white.  
  
"W-wrong? Nothing's wrong." Kaoru assured her shakily, fingering the baby-blue felt seat material anxiously.  
  
"Riiigghhtt.." Misao muttered. They got to the Aoiya quickly, the rest of the ride was silent.  
  
"Misao!" An old man with a patch on his left eye called. "Here, catch!" He lugged a rolled up ball of garments at her.  
  
Misao smoothly caught the clothing, and separated it into two smaller bundles.  
  
"Here, Kaoru." She handed her the larger one. "This will be a lot better to fight in then that outfit." She pointed to a room off to the left. Kaoru obediently went into it and changed speedily. She came out to see Misao wearing a smaller version of the same outfit.   
  
It was some sort of uniform.  
  
"What is this?" She asked.  
  
"It's the OniWaban ninja outfit. All members of the OniWaban are ninjas. And since we're allies of Shishio's enemies, there's no doubt in our minds that he's going to attack. And since you're here, we're gonna need you to lend us a hand."  
  
Kaoru nodded, adjusting her wrist guards. They felt strange, not bad-strange. Just.. odd.  
  
"So, Kaoru. What were you and Himura doing when we barged in?"  
  
"None of your business, Misao." Kaoru snapped as she involuntarily shivered. She could still feel him.  
  
"Well, then-" Her sentence was cut off by a large explosion.  
  
Kaoru and Misao raced outside, followed by the rest of the group.  
  
An ugly man with bird-like features and a cloth over his mouth stood laughing. The source of his amusement being the bodies of two OniWaban members.  
  
Kaoru gritted her teeth, her fists clenching in fury.  
  
To murder - and then LAUGH at your victims! At least Battousai treated the dead with some degree of respect!  
  
"Unforgivable!" She hissed, her voice perhaps half a decibel above a whisper. Anger caused her vision to take on a red sheen for a moment, and her blood pounded against her temples.  
  
"Misao. Do you have any Shinai?"  
  
"No.." Kaoru whirled and stormed inside.   
  
After some searching she found a discarded sword sheath. She weighed it carefully in her palm - it would do.  
  
She stalked back outside, holding her make-shift weapon high.  
  
The smell of gunpowder was over-powering, and disgusting. Kaoru had to choke down a coughing fit.  
  
Seeing that she'd returned, Misao yelled,  
  
"Who are you?!"  
  
"I am Henya, of the Juppon Gattana!" His voice held a strange hint of insanity and blood-lust. It lingered thickly in the air.  
  
The tension could have been cute with a knife and served with a side of potatoes.  
  
Kaoru charged rashly, and swung. But before she could connect, Henya leapt into the air.  
  
As he did so, he pulled off his jacket. Kaoru felt a gasp escape her lips.  
  
Graphed to his back were a pair of wings. He looked as though he'd starved himself from birth to schieve the level of emaciation he was sporting. All-in-all, it was a very grotesque effect.  
  
"Obviously you don't know me, girl! I am Henya, the master of the Hikko-Happa! With my style, no matter what style your opponent has mastered, when you're above their head, they can't fight back! I'm giving you a chance, girl, to run!" He whipped a stick of low-grade dynamite out.  
  
He didn't want to level Kyoto, just kill those in his way.  
  
"Y'know Henya, usually I would," Kaoru fired back. "But you just killed good people with a coward's weapon - and laughed at them! I'm gonna fight you if it kills me!" Henya laughed.  
  
"So be it, fool!" And threw a bomb. Kaoru hit it with her make-shift Shinai, deflecting it by a good foot and a half.  
  
It exploded and sent her skidding, but didn't remove any limbs like he'd intended.  
  
"Ah, so you know how to use that sheath in your hand! Guess I underestimated that!" The next three bombs did some damage.  
  
The first sent Kaoru flying on her back, into a sharp protrusion that gashed right down it.  
  
The second lightly burned her left tricep, not a big injury. It still hurt, though.  
  
The third caused flying debris to hit her face and gash open her forehead - right above the eyes. Blinking blood away, Kaoru readied herself for the onslaught sure to follow.  
  
'Dangit. I'm not as fast as Kenshin, so I can't get.. wait..' Her thoughts trailed off as an idea occurred to her.  
  
Henya lit a group of bombs.  
  
"I'm bored with you - this ends now! Hahaha!!" His mad chuckle shook the air.  
  
Kaoru tensed.  
  
He threw the bombs.  
  
"KAORU! GET INSIDE THE AOIYA! HURRY! YOU CAN'T DEFEAT BOMBS IN BATTLE!!" Misao screamed.  
  
Kaoru shuddered.  
  
'Won't you please be quiet? I'm thinking.' Kaoru mentally chastised. The bombs hurtled for her. Time seemed to slow down. Kaoru gave a scream.  
  
It started with an almost frightened tone, and turned into a battle-cry, a challenge.  
  
The bombs hit and a split-second after impact, exploded. They left a crater a foot and a half deep.  
  
"KAORU!" Misao screamed. She followed the exclaimation with a hearty, "S***!! Battousai is gonna KILL me!!"  
  
"NO ONE can beat the destructive power of-"  
  
"Y'know what, Henya? You talk to d*** much." Kaoru growled.  
  
Henya looked up and yelped. Kaoru stood, carefully balanced, on a rapidly descending door.  
  
The doors of the Aoiya were made to be exact replicas of the tradtional Japanese-style sliding doors.  
  
The explosion had flung one of those doors off of it's hinges and Kaoru had hopped on. The heat from the detonation had burned Kaoru's back, but only somewhat.  
  
She was lucky not to have more severe injuries, but she'd had to time it JUST right.  
  
"You used the explosion to get HIGHER than me?!" Henya cried incredulously.  
  
"Yep." Kaoru smashed her 'Shinai' into his neck with all of her weight behind it.  
  
A sick crackle-POP sound informed Kaoru that she'd just broken the man's neck. She winced and gagged. Kaoru had misjudged how hard she could hit his malnourished body. He was.. dead..  
  
They both slammed into the ground. His body bent akwardly, snapping his spine as well. Kaoru felt her right wrist pop and her left ankle shatter.  
  
'D***..'  
  
She clambored away from the corpse and managed to limp to Misao's side, her 'Shinai' completely shattered. Kaoru held her right wrist close. It didn't feel broken - only sprained.  
  
Still hurt.  
  
A lot.  
  
"You're alive! GREAT! How injured??"  
  
"I'm fine. Just hurt my write some. No big." Kaoru lied innocently.  
  
"Okay. Now that we've established that, we have another lovely threat." For the first time, Kaoru noticed a rather pretty, tall woman dressed in a strange kimono with some sort of rope version of the Butterfly Bow.  
  
She groaned.  
  
"I am Kamatari, member of Lord Shishio's Juppon Gattana." Her voice was strangely deep.  
  
Kaoru decided to try an approach that could be described as the official 'To Darn Tired To Bloody Fight Ya, So I'm Gonna Try To Talk You Out Of It' tactic.  
  
"Ma'am, do-"  
  
"MA'AM?" Kamatari laughed. "Oh, I'm so FLATTERED! But I'm no 'ma'am', doll." Kaoru hesitated.  
  
"Huh?" Kamatari sighed, and with an even deeper voice, said,  
  
"I am LORD Kamatari, the Large Scythe." Misao shrieked.  
  
"Oh my GOD!! SHE is a HE!!"  
  
"Good job, nothing gets by you." Kamatari mocked.  
  
"Fine." Kaoru said, keeping her tone sweet. "SIR, would you consider not fighting?"  
  
"No.." He lifted his scythe. Kaoru balked. Crap. She HAD no weapon!  
  
Operation 'TDTTBFYSIGTTTYOOT' was a failure.  
  
***  
  
The battlefield was chosen, the pieces were in place.  
  
Shishio, heading his army of similarly black-clad men, called out,  
  
"HIKO SEIJURO! THIS IS OUR FORMAL CHALLENGE FOR COMPLETE CONTROL OF KYOTO!"  
  
"HEARD AND ACCEPTED!" A strange ritual, but Battousai shrugged it off as a formality.  
  
What Shishio didn't say was that the winner of the war would have the ability to control all of Japan.  
  
"Challenge as been Issued, Heard, and Accepted. Begin." Aoshi announced coolly, drawing his twin Katana blades.  
  
Battousai drew his own sword, eyes becoming feral and sharp.  
  
The largest gang war Japan would ever see began.  
  
:::The battlefield was large and asphalt,  
  
The war was fought - no skills at fault.  
  
The din did rise, men did fall.  
  
The clash of blades rang above all.   
  
As the ground ran red with blood.:::  
  
A/N: Okay, here's part one. I actually have two other parts. They were all going to be in one big chapter and that was going to be the end of Dark, but I was convinced by someone who actually enjoys this story to continue. So this is part one. And Dark will continue.  
  
Other stuff..  
  
Kamatari. His part will be modified, promise.  
  
Flames. I haven't actually gotten any *Hears shocked noises* But if you do feel like leaving one, feel free. But remember to include your full address so I can hunt you down and beat you to death with a cheese straw.  
  
Those actually exist, to. It's funny.  
  
The poem is mine, it continues through the next two chapters.  
  
Hmm.. lets see if y'all can handle this.  
  
When my counter hits 750 reviews, I will post the next chapter. Best get crackin' on the reviewing! Make friends and family review! Go for it! ^-^  
  
Not to say I'm not grateful for breaking 700..  
  
Okay, I'm soooo tired..  
  
But I want to apologize for not getting this out Monday. Turned out I had to go on a 'family bonding trip' with.. well.. my family. And I didn't get back until too late on Monday to get this thing typed up and posted. But I DID write it..  
  
Email me, people! Really!! I LOVE GETTING EMAILS!!!!! *Grin*  
  
Okay. I'll go now. *Mutter* 


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

A/N:  
  
Dove: GGESSSHH!!! It took y'all a whole two or three days to acquiese to my request. Gods I love Pirates of the Carribean.. Anyhoo. That's not on topic. I love y'all. Even you who said that the part with the mission should have been in a sequel. That mission came from a complete lack of ideas. And I think it turned out okay. It's not like this story has any kind of STORY LINE or anything. *grumps*  
  
Kenshin: Tell them the good news!  
  
Sano: Please, because your mood is driving me NUTS!  
  
Dove: I was nominated in a contest for RK fanfiction. I'm not sure if the voting has started yet. So just check back every so often at the address – you can find it on my user look-up.  
  
Sungold: HURRY UP!! WRITE!!  
  
Dove: *GROAN* Oh yeah. Ryu. I AM GOING TO KILL YOU. Slowly. With much pain and blood. You wrote an email to me involving your muses having weapondry. Sungold was standing behind me, saw this and POOF! She wants a weapon! NOT JUST ANY WEAPON! OOOHHH NOO!! SHE WANTS A SCYTHE!! A friggin' SCYTHE!!  
  
Kenshin: *Thwacks Dove over the head with the Sakabatou.* She needs a time out..  
  
Sungold: This chapter needs to be written!  
  
Sano: I ain't doin' it!  
  
Kenshin: Neither am I! And Soujiro is off doing something – so who's gonna write it?  
  
Sungold: *Smirks and leans the scythe against a wall* I will.  
  
Kenshin: Gods help us all..  
  
Sano: Lets just back away slowly. There's going to be blood in this. Sungold is the homocidal one.  
  
**Note: Dark is continuing. What I meant was that even after the war, it will continue.**  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Six  
  
Kamatari lifted his scythe higher and began to swing it, using his special technique. The ball-and-chain at the end of the scythe spiraled out as he swung and connected with Misao, sending her flying throught the air and onto the roof.  
  
"OH! MISAO!" Kaoru cried. The old man looked just as worried, and kept yelling at her to get up. She had to get up.  
  
Kaoru was at a loss. She was defenseless.  
  
Something caught her eye.  
  
BROOM! She grabbed it up, and broke the end off of it. Her new make-shift shinai was a lot more prickly, but it would do.  
  
Kamatari swung and she managed to block, but the larger opponent knocked her off of her feet and she hit the ground hard. The searing pain in her back cheerfully reminded her of the fact that she had a previous, untended injury.  
  
Kaoru let out a small cry of pain as the wound began to bleed again. Her forehead was still bleeding as well, and she had to continuously blink, which made the world seem as though it had one big strobe-light.  
  
She rolled to the right as Kamatari swung his chain scythe, and managed to avoid the sharp edge.  
  
She got to her feet as he pulled it out of the ground.  
  
He swung once more, and again she just dodged. It bit into the ground, sending particles of dirt flying at her face.  
  
Taking advantage of his opponent's temporary blindness, Kamatari swung his scythe.  
  
Kaoru just lunged into him, and slammed her Shinai into his gut as she flew by. She landed and rolled, getting back to her feet.  
  
She looked up to see herself looking up the business end of a very, very big scythe.  
  
'Uh-oh..'  
  
***  
  
Battousai fought as a red blur. He was covered in blood – some of his own and most of his enemies'.  
  
Aoshi used Kaiten-Kenpo as many times as his body would allow, and then began to resort to the normal style of killing. Swing, hit, kill.  
  
"RYU TSUI TSEN!!" Battousai yelled as his attack tore up flesh and earth at the same time.  
  
And then Shishio was there.  
  
The two had been moving closer and closer throughout the battle. And finally, they met in the middle.  
  
The war raged in around them, and they were like the eye of the storm.  
  
The two fighters sized each other up suspiciously. Golden eyes narrowed on golden eyes. Battou-Jutsu sword stances matched.  
  
It was a one-draw fight.  
  
That one draw would determine the winner, even though the final battle would probably be a bit longer than a split-second.  
  
That deciding Battou-Jutsu draw was crucial.  
  
The Battousai dropped a half inch lower, the movement smooth and small enough that his opponent's careful eyes didn't catch it.  
  
The lower he was, the faster his draw speed would be and the more power he would be able to put behind his attack.  
  
The limbo stayed completely untouched, almost unnoticed.  
  
***  
  
Hiko paused in his own fighting. He saw his Master Assassin facing off with the leader of the opposing syndicate branch.  
  
'I certaintly hope that he has been prepared for this day.' He caught the very slight movement, his smirk was approving. 'He remembers. Now lets see what he will do. The Ku Zu Ryu Sen or the Am Ma Kakkaru Ryu No Hirameki?'  
  
***  
  
Soujiro the Tenken. He was a fighter. Innocent, pure, and always wearing a smile.  
  
But one of the most dangerous men in the fight.  
  
A one-on-one between him and the Battousai could end as a draw, and might move in his favor.  
  
It was a terrifying prospect, that someone like him could take on a man-slayer of Battousai's caliber. And live.  
  
But he was on Hiko's side. And therefore on Battousai's side. So the fight was not with him.  
  
As he beheaded yet another opponent, each time he did that he saw his 'brother' coming at him, Soujiro wondered how his little sister was doing.  
  
She'd seemed afraid of something.  
  
He was pretty sure that it was just the fact that Kenshin had turned Battousai right in front of her.  
  
How could he know the real story?  
  
His distraction cost him a gash along the left arm that cracked the bone.  
  
***  
  
Aoshi had to admire the kid's will-power.  
  
Even though he had taken a wound that should have taken his arm off, Soujiro still fought calmly.  
  
Even the blood spraying from the wound didn't seem to phase him at all.  
  
Aoshi slashed behind him, taking out a moron that thought to attack him while he watched Soujiro's easy movement.  
  
***  
  
Soujiro was in pain. He wanted this over.  
  
He used the Sukuchi.  
  
Three steps under, still enough to destroy many of the attackers.  
  
He saw Aoshi staring in his direction.  
  
Let the ninja be shocked, stunned, in awe. Soujiro just wanted to sleep. But for all of the people he slayed, more came to take their place.  
  
***  
  
Kaoru heard screams. She and Kamatari were locked in close combat, hand-to-hand as they'd both lost their weapons thanks to Misao.  
  
She heard the clash of steel, and one or two gunshots.  
  
'The war.. has started already?!' She thought worriedly. One look at Kamatari's face and she knew that he was thinking the same thing.  
  
The two stared at each other.  
  
'Soujiro.. Sano…'  
  
"Lord Shishio.."  
  
'KENSHIN!' They came to a silent agreement, and broke rank. Both ran for the battlefield.  
  
***  
  
The quick draw came in an eye-blink.  
  
First, Battousai and Shishio were in a stand off. And then BAM.  
  
They were locked in life-or-death combat.  
  
Battousai swung, his protégé deflected.  
  
Swing. Parry. Swing. Parry.  
  
And then it got more advanced.  
  
:::The blades collided,  
  
Only one double-sided.  
  
The Sakabatou flowed, honorable and true.  
  
The opposing blade held no honor,  
  
Only flames of blue.  
  
Time stood still,  
  
As each went for a kill.  
  
Two bodies fell to the dust.:::  
  
"AM MA KAKKARU RYU NO HIRAMEKI!!"  
  
"DIE BATTOUSAI!!"  
  
A/N:  
  
Sungold: Hey, I did good!  
  
Kenshin: You actually did..  
  
Sungold: *Picks up her scythe and floats over to Dove and waits.*  
  
Dove: Ugghh.. THE CHAPTER! OH NO!!  
  
Sungold: *Smugly* I wrote it.  
  
Dove: You what?? *Reads it* Good job, Sungold!  
  
Sungold: Yep..  
  
Sano: Hey Dove, does china go in the microwave?  
  
**BBBOOOOOMMMMM**  
  
Dove: SANO I AM GONNA KILL YOU!!  
  
**If y'all reach 800 reviews, I'll make the next chapter WAAYYYY long.. *hint**hint*** 


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

A/N:  
  
Dove: I have been putting this off.. all week..  
  
Kenshin: Real devoted, 'eh?  
  
Dove: My problem is that I kept FALLING ASLEEP every time I started writing it!  
  
Kenshin:…  
  
Sano: Oh, THAT shows how much you were intrested.  
  
Dove: I really was! I just.. ah.. yeah. I was tired. Still am. I'm finally starting this att 11pm.  
  
Kenshin: Lazy bum.  
  
Dove: HOWEVER.. I do have to say THANK YOU! For all of the SPLENDID reviews! This chapter will be as long as I can make it!  
  
Sano:..I'll bet you can't even make it ten pages.  
  
Dove: WANNA MAKE A WAGER ON THAT?!  
  
Sano: YEAH!  
  
Dove: How much ya got?!  
  
Sano: *Srounges aimlessly in him pockets for a minute, until he comes out with the dollar that he lifted from Dove's desk the week before* THIS!  
  
Dove: I BET YOU THAT!  
  
Sano: FINE!  
  
Dove: FINE!  
  
Sano: WELL, FINE!!  
  
Dove: WELL FINER THAN FINE!  
  
Both: *Head in opposite directions, Dove to her room and Sano out of the house* *SLAM!*  
  
Soujiro: Sooo.. Kenshin..  
  
Kenshin:..yeah?  
  
Sano: *Whips out his Trig homework* Explain this again?  
  
***IN DOVE'S ROOM!***  
  
Dove: So.. what should I do?  
  
Sungold: Borrow my scythe and cut him into tiny pieces?  
  
Kiri: Sing the HAPPY song!!  
  
Jayde: Kill him and make up.  
  
Rue: Clean his room for him.  
  
Akurei: Ignore him and start Dark.  
  
Dove: Now you're talking!  
  
***  
  
Akurei: Hello. I'm Akurei Koroshiya. And I'll be your muse for this evening.  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Seven  
  
Kaoru arrived just as the simultanious attacks were fired.  
  
What appeared to her to happen in almost five minutes actually happened in an instant.  
  
Kenshin shifted his left leg, drew, and used and attack she'd never seen him use before.  
  
At the same time, Shishio – whom she recognized from her reunion with her 'Father' – used his own strange attack. Kaoru was willing to SWEAR that his blade had grown blue flames. How odd.  
  
She saw blood spraying. So much blood.. her head spun and she groaned weakly.  
  
"What's wrong, doll?" Kamatari's voice was right behind her ear. Kaoru stared at him in confusion – unable to understand his happy face – and then she realized that Shishio had risen.  
  
"KENSHIN!!" Kaoru screamed as the black-clad man smirked and kicked the corpse's side.  
  
A long, thin, pale hand grabbed her from behind, clamping over her mouth roughly. A matching hand wrapped it's self around her waist.  
  
"MMPPPGGH!" She argued. The strong scent of smoke filled her nostrils. Kaoru went on a sensory over-load. And screamed again.  
  
Kaoru could smell blood and smoke. She could hear the screams of the injured and the moans of the dying. She could see a part of her assailent's hand, and Kenshin's body. She felt pure anger and an immense sadness.  
  
Kaoru turned her eyes back to the blood-soaked corpse of her ex-kidnapped-turned-protector, and felt nothing at all.  
  
The man holding Kaoru chuckled quite evilly, and dragged her unconcious form away from the fight.  
  
Kidnapped again.  
  
Darn.  
  
***  
  
Battousai fought for conciousness. Finally pulling himself out of the molassas, he tightened his fist around the hilt of his blade and slashed Shishio's leg.  
  
The arrogant fool had sheathed his sword and was chatting amiably. Until he screamed and fell. A long – bloody – gash along his leg.  
  
"I wasn't dead yet, FOOL." Battousai spat. Shishio snarled.  
  
"You are now!" He reached for his sword, coming to his feet.  
  
And then the arm fell limp, away from the sheathed blade. Battousai had also stood, blood seeping from his flesh wound. His sword was still held in the after-stroke that paralyzed Shishio's right arm.  
  
"You ba*****!" Shishio growled. He drew, using his left arm, with no small amount of effort.  
  
Blue flames once more danced along the edge of the blade. Shishio swung – petty well for not being left-handed.  
  
Battousai deflected the bloe, but Shishio was quite skilled. He began to force the blade of her predecessor back.  
  
And then, like most of the stupid bad-guys, Shishio began to talk. The universal mistake.  
  
"Great job protecting your girl, Battousai."  
  
Ignore. MUST ignore.  
  
"She bled an awful lot. I'm surprised you managed to save the little bird."  
  
Don't..care..  
  
"Bet she's still crying over daddy's betrayal."  
  
Anger..is..blinding..  
  
"What about YOUR betrayal? Have you told her of the murder of her father by your hands?"  
  
"That wasn't her father, Shishio, and you know it. That was one of YOUR men, trying to get you more money." Battousai snapped.  
  
Shishio just laughed as they broke and lunged, ending back in their position.  
  
"Well, I sure hope she TRUSTS you, letting me take her like that."  
  
Battousai was so bent on not showing anger that his eyes took on a violet hue.  
  
"To think that her skin was so soft." THAT was the LAST straw.  
  
Battousai broke, violet fading, and charged. He ducked a swipe aimed to lay his stomach open, and seemed to dissapear.  
  
"Save me a seat in h***, Shishio." Battousai growled, and Shishio looked up. Just in time to see the blade, business end flipped out.  
  
The force behind his strike cleaved Shishio's skull. He jerekd his sword free once the man fell.  
  
Shishio Maokoto was dead. It was over.  
  
:::Heaven's Honorable Sword Flow,  
  
Met it's match that night.  
  
But care and honor could not loose,  
  
And Battousai triumphed that night.:::  
  
Battousai saw Kamatari and Yumi fretting over Shishio, one more expressivly than the other.  
  
The cross-dresser looked up, his face sad but resolute.  
  
"Your female friend was taken." Battousai's gaze sharpened.  
  
"Come again!?"  
  
"That black-haired, blue-eyed girl. She was kidnapped, by a tall man with dark hair." Battousai growled.  
  
"Yeah, thanks Kam." Kamatari, undercover agent for Hiko. He was still sad that another life had been taken, but he didn't actually care for Shishio – at all. He'd only fought Kaoru and the OniWaban per Hiko's orders; when the battle began he had been ordered to come and restrain Yumi when Battousai won.  
  
She knew where Shishio's main 'base' was – the one that Kaoru had been taken to was some sort of 'Summer home' for him. Useless to them.  
  
Battousai left the battlefield without looking back, jerking a sheathed blades out of the ground to add to his arsenal – just in case. He was pissed.  
  
***  
  
Kaour felt cold. She forced her eyes open and immediately snapped them shut.  
  
"M-Misao!" She murmured. Her friend was up next to her, hanging from the ceiling, wrists chained above her head. Kaoru's position mirrored hers.  
  
Kaoru's arms and fingers were numb.  
  
She wiggled some, hoping to find the chains loose. No such luck. But she did manage to acquire some feeling – mostly pain.  
  
Her already raw wrists cut, and the blood flowed freely.  
  
"MISAO!" Kaoru could touch the ground if she really stretched. "Misao, Wa-" A drop of her own blood fell in a perfect sphere – like a tear. Kaoru watched as it hit her nose. Another followed, splashing the first one.  
  
Her head spun.  
  
"Oh.." She moaned. Apparently her phobia of blood had returned with a vengeance. Kaoru fought for a few moments, before the blackness overtook her.  
  
***  
  
Misao heard her name. She twitched some, and then snapped her eyes open. She watched a third drop of blood hit Kaoru's nose – just after her form slumped.  
  
"Kaoru!" She attempted.  
  
Misao was quite angry.  
  
She'd been fighting all well and dandy against some weaklings. She'd used up the last of her Kunai, and had been reaching for another weapon. And then BAM! Something hard had connected with the back of her head and the next thing she knew, she was hanging off of a ceiling.  
  
Misao swung herself. After a while she had a huge arc. She managed to get her legs up and around the chain, and then she did a mid-air sit up. Examining her wrists, Misao discovered a weakness and hit exactly on it with her infamous karate chop.  
  
After getting free of her bindings, Misao let herself fall. Getting up, she raced to Kaoru and struggled with her bonds for a while, before finally preforming a repeat of her own move.  
  
"Poor Kaoru. Wake up now!"  
  
***  
  
Kaoru snapped her eyes open.  
  
"Magic." She heard Misao mutter. She sat up.  
  
"Thanks.." She whispered.  
  
"Yep." Kaoru made a point not to look down at her wrists, and she rubbed the bit of blood off of her nose, too.  
  
And, wonder upon wonder.. the door open.  
  
Kaoru lifted her head, to see who it was.  
  
Her gasp shattered the stillness.  
  
***  
  
Hajime Saitou stood, smirking at the girl's sitting on the ground, a cigarette in his mouth.  
  
He'd been waiting for Misao to pull her trick.  
  
"Hello, Kaoru." He offered, grinning more.  
  
Misao looked confused. So she narrowed her eyes on Kaoru.  
  
"How does he know your name?" Kaoru mumbled something. "What?"  
  
"He and my father used to be close friends. And I was on his bowling team."  
  
"Funny, isn't it? All of these old ties."  
  
"Yes, it certaintly is, ne, Haijime?"  
  
This time Kaoru screamed.  
  
***  
  
Yep, that was definatly Kaoru. Battousai took off in the direction of the scream, very worried. He ran like the wind, and streaked into a building. Breaking anything that got in his way – including people – he found the room.  
  
Kaoru was staring at something. There were two doors, he was exactly at the point where he couldn't see.  
  
He took two steps in. And growled.  
  
"I killed you, Kamiya." He informed the man matter-of-factly.  
  
Ignoring him, he went over to Kaoru, who sat on the floor sniffling.  
  
"There now, Sparrow." He soothed. She winced away frm his embrace, but he pulled her up anyways and forced her to stand. Misao stood behind them, understanding that it was not her place.  
  
"So, Saitou. Finally decided to come out of hiding, eh?"  
  
Saitou snorted.  
  
"Hide, from you? When my Gatotsu strike could bring you down with no effort? Of course not!" He mocked. "I wanted to give these two a fmily reunion, and I have a score to settle with Aoshi."  
  
"I'm afraid that your reunion is cancelled and your revenge is, as well."  
  
Of course Saitou had men ready to aid him.  
  
Instantly, everything was chaos.  
  
Kaoru was caught, and pulled away from Battousai as he fought. She heard Misao scream. She spun and saw her thrashing against Saitou. She was short, and without a weapon. Not a fair match.  
  
Kaoru immediately leapt in head-first. She slugged him. Kaoru hit Saitou right in the face with a right-cross capable of dropping a rhino at thirty paces.  
  
He dropped Misao as his knees buckled and he stumbled a few paces. Kaoru had gained a bit of weight, and her HEALTHY punch was a heck of a lot better than her weakling punches when she'd had leukemia.  
  
A hand grabbed her arm and spun her. Hands locked on either side of her face.  
  
"I missed you, Kaoru. You distracted Battousai enough that day that he didn't strike properly and almost missed." Kaoru's eyes glazed, and then cleared a completely different color.  
  
"Let go of me, Kamiya." Akuma snarled. He backed away, startled. His Kaoru had NEVER spoken in such a manner. Not even as her different personalities. Being around the Battousai had made her forget her place.  
  
"You don't sp-"  
  
"OH yes I do. Think, for crying out loud. You REALLY think I have ANY respect left for you? You LIE to me, you beat me, and you try to drive me insane to get some inheritance that I would have GIVEN you had you asked!"  
  
Koshijirou straightened.  
  
"Don't take that tone with-"  
  
"Aw, forget you." Akuma snarled, spinning. Saitou had Misao again. She stood in front of the wolf-like man for a moment, her 'father' trying to figure out what had changed so much about her.  
  
"Let her go, whoever you are." Saitou blinked.  
  
"KAORU!" Misao cried, happy that she had more help. Her arms being pinned to her sides were not helping matters at all.  
  
"Akuma." She corrected. Saitou actually looked a bit creeped out. His grip loosened a fraction, and Misao leapt at the chance.  
  
She twisted, and brought her leg into Saitou's back. The wolf-man fell, and Misao sprang away.  
  
Akuma shifted back into Kaoru. Who at that exact second felt utter fear and worry coarsing through her.  
  
For no reason.  
  
Wait.  
  
Soujiro.  
  
***  
  
The kid could not for the LIFE of him get out. He'd taken a sucker-punch about the end of the battle, and had woken up stuffed in this metal box.  
  
He was clausterphobic. That did not help.  
  
He twitched again.  
  
And felt his world shifting.  
  
Terror coursed through him as he felt his metal box shift up, and then a loud 'PPLOOSSHHH!' sound assaulted his ears.  
  
Soujiro gulped.  
  
Uh. Oh.  
  
The box sank beneath the surface of the water.  
  
"How much time does he have?"  
  
"Three hours, at most. That oxygen tank will wear off." Proud of themselves, Soujiro's assailants left the scene of the crime.  
  
Three hours and counting.  
  
'Kaoru! Help!'  
  
***  
  
Kaoru shuddered. She knew something was wrong with Soujiro. Terribly wrong.  
  
Battousai knew from her face that something was wrong. Shoving through the throng of people to Misao and Kaoru, he asked about it.  
  
"Soujiro. I have a feeling that-" Battousai's cell rang.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Pause.  
  
"SOUJIRO!? What in the h*** are you doing there? Okay! Yes, I see, we're coming." Battousai called someone else.  
  
"I need a NUMA team on our payroll, and a trace on the last call made to my cellphone."  
  
Kaoru waited impatiently. Battousai, eyes still feral, saw her pale face.  
  
"Soujiro is trapped underwater."  
  
Suddenly, Kaoru realized that they were alone with Misao. During the cell-exercise, everyone had left. How odd.  
  
She knew that wasn't the last they'd be seeing of them.  
  
But for right then, she needed to be worried about her brother. And worry she did. Right into another personality.  
  
**  
  
A/N: I really couldn't make this any longer. I made up the 3 hour fact, no flames.  
  
Sano: *Forks over the dollar*  
  
Dove: *Cheers for herself* Eleven pages! YAY! *Collapses from exhaustion!*  
  
Kenshin: Well, it wasn't to long. However, she put a lot of hours into it. So I think that's worth some reviews, ne? *Hauls her to her bed*  
  
Sano:..yeah, I'll bet y'all can't hit 832 before she puts the next chapter up. You're at about 806 right now. *Smirks* 


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

A/N:  
  
Hello, My faithful readers. I'm sooo sorry this took me so long! Thank you for all of the time you have invested in reading Dark. But the story seems to be failing. Don't worry! I'm not going to just quit. But Dark will soon be ending. You can look forward to a sequel, don't worry! On that happy note.. what else.. Ah. About Kaoru's injuries: She is running on pure adrenaline. I know for a fact that when you are on an adrenaline rush fueled by the fact that your horrible father is alive, you are fighting, and you are terrified that you do not feel pain. So for the moment, she doesn't even remember her injuries. What else.. Oh! Thank you to all of my spendid reviewers! I LOVE to get up in the morning, check my mail, and find 15 or so reviews. It really does wonders for writers block. ^-^  
  
Anyone else reading WHEN THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU by Chiki? That is such a saadddd story! It was fantastic and semi-happy until the last chapter.. I sobbed for 5 minutes straight! So that may somehow affect the angst level of this chapter. And I'm really sick (PHYSICALLY, fools!), so this may not ALL make sense, and there may be some mistakes. I apologize in advance.  
  
No funny authors note this time. I'm to tired.  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Eight  
  
~~  
  
Soujiro' s POV  
  
~~  
  
It was dark. Readlly, really dark. I'm not afraid of much. Only dark, and tight spaces. The full effects of my clausterphobia had aclready passed, so I could breath now.  
  
I was grinning so hard by the time an hour had passed, that I knew I looked a sight. Pale face, huge eyes, grin stretched to the point of breaking my mouth.  
  
I knew that I still had about two hours left to live – on average. Hey, I was in Shishio's little group for about 16 years, you know!  
  
Thank goodness I had the presence of mind to call Battousai before my cellphone went out of range and died. Which was about two feet later.  
  
I never did like 'Death By Box'. The DBB lacked honor in my opinion. How ironic that I would become one of it's many victims.  
  
I was kinda sad that I wouldn't be able to make a stronger bond between Kaoru and I. But it was for the better, Makoto's organization didn't know of our blood bond. She would be safe. Mostly.  
  
I hoped that Battousai had won. I'd been knocked out just as he and Shishio had gotten into their battle-stances.  
  
I'm so tired.. maybe I'll sleep through my suffocation! Gosh.. I hope so..  
  
~~  
  
It took the better part of 15 minutes to coax Rumor back into Kaoru. But it was accomplished. Battousai dropped the last two swords of his extended arsenal out of his sword belt. With only his Wakizashi and Katana once more, he explained exactly what had happened to Soujiro. From what he knew.  
  
The instant Kaoru processed her brother's fate, she was out the door and running.  
  
Battousai had another call to make – regarding Koshijirou's 'ressurection' act. So he let her go. It wasn't as though she could run to lake Nagasaki.  
  
((I made that lake up!))  
  
It was almost 30 miles away, and positioned in the middle of nowhere. And besides, she was injured. Rumor had noticed it.  
  
***  
  
Kaoru felt a pair of arms go around her waist, and she was jerked into an alley. At first she thought it was Kenshin and semi-relaxed. She wasn't sure if he was still Battousai.  
  
And then she realized that the arms were way, WAY to tall to be his and panicked.  
  
Her captor spun her roughly, and she found herself staring into the frightening eyes of Hajime Saitou. He had a painfully tight grip on her upper arms. The wolfish man took a step backwards and Kaoru was forced to go with him.  
  
She matched him step-for-step until they reached the back wall at the end of the alley.  
  
"Let me go!" She attempted. NOT as demanding as she'd been hoping..  
  
"Or what? You shouldn't have left your protector, he's still at that building."  
  
Kaoru felt herself trembling. He jerked her another step forward and she winced as she quickly switched legs, off of her injured ankle.  
  
"Who is going to protect your pathetic hide NOW?"  
  
"Her OTHER protector!" A fist smashed into Saitou's jaw and he went flying, loosing Kaoru in the process. She remained standing, her knees shaking.  
  
A white cloth obscured her vision.  
  
"Hey, missy. Almost outran me!" Relief snatched the breath from Kaoru's lungs. Sano turned back to Saitou. "Hey, wolfy! Don't go dissin' on missy, she's one-a-da bravest chicks I know!"  
  
"Then you must not know many." Saitou retorted, spitting out some blood. Rubbing his jaw angrily, he whipped a sword out of it's sheath.  
  
Kaoru hadn't even noticed that he'd been armed. 'Brilliant. Just BRILLIANT.' She berated herself bitterly.  
  
Saitou dropped into a strange stance, blade arched over his head, fingertips level with it's point.  
  
"GATOTSU!" He announced as he seemed to vanish.  
  
"He moves like Kenshin!" Kaoru cried, shock obvious in her tone.  
  
Sano cleanly side-stepped the attack. And realized a split-second later that it was not intended to actually strike.  
  
Kaoru had taken to leaning against a wall, deciding that it was better than the alternative of falling. That Gatotsu struck inches from her left temple.  
  
Doing what any respectable girl would do, Kaoru screamed. Saitou removed his blade from the wall, and caught hold of her wrist. Moving like lightening, he had Kaoru pinned to him. His arm was wrapped securely around her waist.  
  
"Sano!" She cried, panicked. Sano heard the helplessness in her tone, and hated it with all of his being. She was not supposed to sound like that. Saitou needed a slow and painful death for making her sound so tiny.  
  
The blade traced down her cheekbone slowly, a very sharp edge stopping just shy of breaking the skin. The carress was feathery-light and reminded her of when she first met Kenshin. Tears filled her eyes. Looking to Sano once more in a silent plea for him to get her away from Saitou, she blinked.They spilled over, dashing down her cheeks. The blade made it's way to her throat and stopped, cold steel against warm flesh.  
  
"Let's see how brave she is bleeding to death on the cement." Kaoru's blood ran cold. She didn't even think, but her body still reacted.  
  
She slammed her left elbow into his stomach, causing his grip on her to release, while reaching up with her left hand to grab the dull base of the weapon. She pished, shoving it away from her throat. Then she dropped, rolled, and leapt to her feet.  
  
Saitou blinked a few times and she ran behind Sano and peeked around him, eyes wide on her pale face.  
  
"Well. THAT was intresting." He decided. Kaoru gave a sigh of relief as soon as she was safe behind Sanosuke.  
  
"Alright, Roosterhead. Bring it." Saitou challanged. He launched another Gatotsu as Sano preformed the Futaenokiwami. Saitou blade boke. The snapped end spun crazily through the air and buried it's self in Sano's leg. As his blood poured, Sano growled, and announced,  
  
"Your weapon is broken. Beat it. Go! SCRAM!" Saitou growled right back. But he couldn't fight without a good blade. So he tossed what was left of the bottom of the blade and the hilt to the ground.  
  
"Another time, rooster."  
  
"Count on it, Wolf." He left.  
  
Sano fell, landing on his knees. "Ow.."  
  
Kaoru knelt next to him.  
  
"So.. Sano.. you do this for all the kids you babysit?" She asked as she kept her eyes tightly shut.  
  
"Naw. You're special." He replied through clenched teeth as he pulled the blade out of his leg.  
  
Kaoru heard footfalls approaching quickly. She tilted her face away from Sano's blood and looked towards the newcomer.  
  
Battousai had heard a female scream. He'd taken off running, and now smelled blood.  
  
He skidded into the alley-way where the smell was the strongest. Kaoru was kneeling next to the bleeding Sano, staring up at him with huge eyes and a pale face.  
  
Good, she was okay. The rooster-like man was not, however.  
  
"Hey, Kenshin." He managed to grit out. "Want to call Megumi for me?" Kenshin nodded and did as his colleage asked.  
  
And then he saw the hilt of the opposing blade. Call ended, he snapped his cell shut and stalked over to the broken half of the sword. He inspected it closely, before he swore violently and spun, eyes angry.  
  
Kaoru was still kneeling, Sano had moved and was leaning against a wall to her right, eyes closed.  
  
"Did Saitou attack you again?" He asked. Kaoru mumbled something. "I asked you a QUESTION, Kaoru!" She lowered her head. She so much prefered Kenshin. 'Why does speaking to the Battousai always make me feel like a foolish wimp?' She wondered.  
  
Strong hands grabbed her shoulders and yanked her to her feet.  
  
"I SAID did-"  
  
"Yes, Kenshin. He did. Not calm your temper and stop taking your anger and frustration out on Missy before I Futaenokiwami you're a**." Sano replied for her, eyes still shut.  
  
Battousai took a few calming breaths, softening his grip. He was being extremely harsh, and she was shaking like a leaf, eyes tightly shut. He'd bene treating her like a criminal he was interrogating or something.  
  
And he wanted her to trust him. THAT was the way to go about it. Yeah, right. In the cave man era.  
  
He softened his grip even more.  
  
"Alright. I'm sorry, Kaoru." She nodded, face still pale, and opened her eyes. He let her go as soon as he was sure she wouldn't fall.  
  
"Kaoru, we have an hour to save Soujiro. Come on." Without a second through, she took the hand he offered. He took off running, and she did her best to keep up with him.  
  
'He actually seemed genuinly sorry for his actions.. and DANG he's got a TIGHT grip!'  
  
They reached Kenshin's car, which had been brought for him, in record time. They leapt in and took off. This time, it was Kaoru who was afraid for her life. It was like a scene from a police chase or something. Kaoru and her seatbelt became best of friends. Terrified white became her new skin color.  
  
After 25 harrowing minutes of the roller-coaster ride, it was over and they were at Lake Nagasaki. The NUMA team had found Soujiro's box, but their equipment was not advanced or strong enough to lift it, even in water.  
  
For some reason, they hadn't even brought any diving equipment, figuring that their excavation equipment would be more than enough.  
  
Kaoru felt her eyes filling with tears, and for the second time that day, almost started bawling. And then she saw Kenshin walk by wearing only a pair of boxers, his clothes folded neatly on the ground.  
  
'Answers the age-old question..' Kaoru through randomly. 'Thank GOD the answer isn't 'neither'..'   
  
Cool as ice, Battousai walked to the edge of the hastily-made pier and bent his knees. Then he pushed off and dove in, swimming powerfully, straight down. His eyes were squinted so he could see through the sea-green water.  
  
The box was incredibly small, and made of a severely thick metal. Looking around, Kenshin saw two identical boxes.  
  
He wasn't sure Soujiro was in the one he was at.. so he knocked.  
  
~~  
  
Soujiro's POV  
  
~~  
  
I tried to crack my neck. I succeeded, but hit my head in the process. I split my wound open again. That hurt.  
  
I had taken up singing to alleviate the boredom before my death. I Was on 42 bottles of Sake. Starting at 6,000. And then I heard a muffled banging on my box.  
  
Immediately, I banged back. Then I heard morse code.  
  
Good thing I learned that.  
  
'Stay Put and Breath Shallow'.  
  
Just when I'd given up all hope. How fun.  
  
~~  
  
A/N: That's all for now. There is more. But I want to see if I have ANY fans left, and I'm so mierably sick.. Reviews make me feel better, Bribes make Dark better! ^-^ *Collapses*  
  
Kenshin: Not AGAIN!  
  
Sano: *Hiding in the closet* WAY to many people were happy about my losing that bet! Gee, thanks!  
  
Kenshin: …   
  
Soujiro: Geesh! Do I live or die, make up your freakin' mind, Dove-chan!  
  
Dove: …… 


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

A/N:  
  
Dove: Hello, loyal wonderful fabulous readers.  
  
Kenshin: She is happy, 900 reviews have been broken.  
  
Sano: *Snorts* Wanna see a bet y'all CAN'T win? I bet you can't break 1000 reviews! HAHA! *Knows he is going to win*  
  
Dove: *Hugging her new toy* Sano, just drop it. You've already been POUNDED INTO THE GROUND by them on your last bet.  
  
Kenshin: *Sigh*  
  
Sano: She's been obsessed with nun-chucks for some time now. And a friend of her father bought a set for her. So she's officially in love.  
  
Dove: Yeah.. it's the only reason that I started this chapter, I was suddenly in a FABULOUS mood.  
  
Sano:..yeah.  
  
Dove: OOH! By the way, congratulations, everyone. You have offically completed over 214 written pages of Dark. Facinating, eh?  
  
Kenshin: She danced after she realized how many pages there where.  
  
Dove: *Twitch* MUST you keep a running commentary?  
  
Kenshin: Yep.  
  
Sano: Definatly.  
  
Dove: *Mutter* Smart-Alecks..  
  
Kenshin and Sano: *Whistling innocently*  
  
Dove: Whatever. Anyhoo. Just to let you all know, I have ACTUALLY started working on the first chapter of my next RK fic. It will be out soon. *Silence* *Sarcasm* Gee, your enthusiasim is deafening me.  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Twenty-Nine  
  
****NOTE: Just a warning, chapter thirty will be the last chapter of Dark. There may be a sequel, depending on the demand for it. ^-^ So this chapter is gonna have a definate impact on the end!****  
  
Kaoru jumped when Battousai broke the surface of the water. He sucked in air for a moment, before demanding his sword.  
  
Kaoru immediately leapt for it and threw it to him. With no effort at all he reached up and caught the sheathed blade, and dove.  
  
He reached Soujiro's box very quickly, and dropped into a battou-jutsu stance.  
  
It was hard to slice the water, so it took him about three tries to cut the lock.  
  
Blood billowed from the open box, followed by a pale and wincing Soujiro.  
  
Battousai did not dawdle. He grabbed the pained boy by the arm and hauled him to the people waiting for him above-water. Breaking surface once more, Battousai released Soujiro and dove once more.  
  
He opened the other two boxes he found.  
  
The first contained a dead man, face bluish and eyes bulging. Battousai went out of his way to wedge that box shut.  
  
The second one contained a little girl that didn't look so well. Her face was slightly blue, she must have run out of oxygen. Either that, or she'd been breathing in when he opened the box.  
  
Proud of himself for saving one of Shishio's last victims – such a lovely way to 'honor' his memory – Battousai lifted the girl in his arms and swam to the surface once more.  
  
Kaoru couldn't watch as her brother was treated for his bloodied injuries, so she waited for Battousai to resurface.  
  
He did, with a little girl clinging to him.  
  
The assassin handed the child off to Kaoru and pulled himself out of the water. He was soaking wet. Kaoru did her best to focus her attention on the girl. 'Yum..he dressed yet?..don't LOOK Kaoru!'  
  
The girl's hair was brown, and her eyes had a violet shade to them.  
  
"Hey, I need someone medical-like over here!" And then the girl was taken from her to be examined for any extensive injuries.  
  
***  
  
They were all resting in Kenshin's living room, except the owner himself. Kenshin, who's eyes had regained their normal color, was in the kitchen making tea. He'd been really worried what his 'other side' had done. But Kaoru had told the poor guy nothing. He'd just take it on his own shoulders and get depressed.  
  
Kaoru's wrist was wrapped in a handy Ace bandage, and her ankle was in a cast and propped up with some pillows. She had the couch all to herself.  
  
Megumi had also stitched her back, where she'd gashed herself, and washed off her forehead. That had received two stitches, nothing serious when compared to the thirty-six stitch requirement for her back.  
  
Sano was okay, especially now that he had some lovely morphine and could look forward to pain-killers. The blade had left him with a fourty-one stitch hole in his leg and chipped the bone.  
  
"So, what's your name?" Kaoru asked the little girl. The girl had been treated for mild hypothermia, and a sprained wrist similar to Kaoru's.  
  
"I..I'm Tsubame, ma'am." The poor kid still seemed amazed that they'd saved her, moreover that BATTOUSAI had done the actual 'saving'.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Tsubame. I'm Kaoru, the guy staring at the clock and watching the second hand is Sano on painkilling drugs, the guy in the chair asleep is Soujiro – my big brother – and.." Kenshin walked in right then, putting the tea-cups down. "This is Kenshin, the man who saved you."  
  
"I..I remember you..all..I've seen you.. at the Akabeko.."  
  
"Oh!" Kaoru remembered suddenly. The little girl serving with.. what was her name? The polite girl with the nice smile.. Jessie, that was it!  
  
"So, Miss Tsubame. What did you do to end up in that box?" Kenshin asked amiably.  
  
"..I went against Mr. Hiko's orders, sir." She whispered.  
  
"You mean Shishio?" She shook her head slowly.  
  
"N-no sir. Mr. Hiko. He was working with Mr. Shishio and I.. went against an order. So.. I ended up in..that box."  
  
Kenshin's eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
"It is not nice to lie, girl."  
  
"I..I'm not, sir." She looked up at him, confused, eyes wide, her pale face void of any color. Kaoru thought that she herself had probably looked like that when she'd first met Battousai. And Kenshin was beginning to sound like his counter-part in a startling way.  
  
"Kenshin, look at the poor girl. I mean, come on. YOU have the 'lie-detector' sixth sense. She isn't trying to pull the wool over your eyes, stupid!" Kenshin gave her a sullen look.  
  
"Kaoru. I have been with Hiko Seijirou since I was eight. And now you want me to believe that everything he has ever said to me has been a lie?"  
  
Kaoru nodded. "Why would she lie, Kenshin?" She returned. With a snarl, Kenshin rose and stormed into the bedroom. Kaoru leapt after him.  
  
***  
  
"Stupid girl." Kenshin growled, furiously pounding on a pillow. The door opened, and he plopped sullenly on the bed.  
  
Kaoru quietly closed the door and stared at Kenshin for a moment. And then she sat next to him, turning so she could peer into his face.  
  
"Kenshin, I don't know ANYTHING about you. Would you like to tell me about Hiko, so I can understand?"  
  
He stared at her for a long moment, Kaoru got an eerie feeling that he was reading her soul or her mind or something. And then he nodded.  
  
"Alright, Kaoru. You want to know about ME? Well, I'll tell you."  
  
Kaoru gulped and nodded, ready for whatever he could throw.  
  
"I used to live in America, I was born there. My father was Japanese, my mother was Irish. They were.. actually, they were the best parents a guy could ask for. They loved me and always tried to make sure that I had food in my stomach, clothes on my back, and love in my heart.  
  
They died when I was four."  
  
Kenshin closed his eyes, and let the memories take him away.  
  
~~~~  
  
'He was in Japan. Tokyo. He'd been sent to live with an uncle. How unfortunate that said uncle was an underground child slave trader. Very quickly Kenshin found himself 'for sale'. He was bought by a group of shady men.  
  
He was worked constantly, hefting boxes over 30 pounds more than a 4-year-old should have been handling. But he never complained. Even when they beat him, all he did was stare at them coldly and wait for them to tire of their useless waste of energy. His spirit was to strong.  
  
Finally, he was noticed by a group of three women. Their jobs..were different from the males. But they tried to help him when they could, even taking some of his punishments for him.  
  
Their spirits were not broken, but teetered so closely to the edge..  
  
They'd been attacked, late one night when he was eight. By a group of Shishio's men.  
  
He'd moved to attack them, grabbing a strange sword that one of the fallen men was carrying.  
  
But he didn't get far before his adoptive mothers snatched him back. They formed a tight, protective circle around him.  
  
'Let me go! Let me fight!' He whispered. 'They're hurting them, and killing them.. what did those people ever do to the bad men?'  
  
'No, _____' they whispered.' Kenshin could never remember what they had called him. ''You have to live! We've already had all of our lives to choose our paths, but your way has just begun, your path not yet clear and chosen! You have to LIVE! For us!' The tear.. a single tear.. more than anyone had shown for him in four years.  
  
The terror. The warm blood spurting from the bodies of the murdered women as one by one they fell away.  
  
'What-a we got here? A little KID? Crying over those women? We'll take the pain away.' He didn't bother to raise his head, without a weapon he could not fight and the sword was out of reach.  
  
A feeling of utter weakness raced through him and his spirit shattered. He just slumped and waited for death.  
  
And it did not come. There were grunts of pain and thumps as bodies fell. Kenshin spun, and found himself staring into the smirking face of an incredibly tall man.  
  
'Ah, so I did find a survivor.'  
  
'..who..you?' Kenshin's Japanese was very, very basic. The women had spoken to him in English, Seijirou never found out what they'd said, Kenshin had kept it a secret.  
  
'Hiko Seijirou, Kid. You?'  
  
'______' Again the name escaped him. Hiko had smirked once more.   
  
'That's a bit of a weak name. I think I'll call you.. Kenshin.'  
  
'K..Kenshin?'  
  
'Yeah, that's fitting for an ally of mine.. Now come with me.' Kenshin stood and followed Hiko, head down. His spirit was..dead..  
  
His golden eyes shone from his flaming red hair as he watched Hiko stride through the dead bodies.  
  
Battousai, the one everyone considered the horrible evil one.. had already started putting the pieces of his weaker counterpart's spirit back together.  
  
It took almost ten years to do that..  
  
And another ten for their existences to have the ability to coincide peacefully.  
  
Hiko Seijirou was there through it all.'  
  
~~~~  
  
"That's why, Kaoru. I can't believe that he would be working with the man that killed those women.. and the man that we both swore to hate."  
  
"But.. Kenshin.. Kenshin, can I tell you something?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"It's something.. I saw in his eyes. Hiko Seijirou is a dangerous man, calculating.. and.." She stammered into silence.  
  
"And?"  
  
"..Thelookinhiseyeswhenhelookedatyouradiatedhate,evenmoresowhenhelookedat-" Breath "-Watsuki." Kaoru responded as quickly as she could, her words jumbling together in her haste.  
  
"I don't want to believe that.. Kaoru.. but.." He sighed. "I don't know anymore."  
  
***  
  
"I think he's catching on, sir." Saitou remarked to Aoshi, his superior.  
  
"Yes, I do, as well."  
  
Saitou was an agent for Aoshi. Misao and Kaoru had never really been in any REAL danger around him.  
  
Lighting another cigarette and taking a long drag, Saitou remarked,  
  
"The only question that remains is.. is Battousai going to be able to cut out all the sentimental stuff, and take out Hiko before he is ordered to kill the girl?"  
  
"He has two days." Aoshi responded slowly. "I hope he uses them wisely, he never disobeys orders." The two continued watching what was going on through the hidden camera in the room.  
  
***  
  
A/N:  
  
Dove: I got a complaint about how I make Saitou all kinds of evil.. and since I don't really hate wolf-man, I decided to make him a good guy. ^-^  
  
Kenshin:….  
  
Sano:….  
  
Dove: What? No comments?  
  
Both: Nope.  
  
Soujiro: I have one! How are you going to wrap this ALLL up next chapter?  
  
Dove: By fusing some loose ends and tying them all together.  
  
Soujro:…good luck with that, Dove-chan.. 


	30. Chapter Thirty

A/N:  
  
Dove: …  
  
Kenshin: She's.. very depressed.  
  
Sano: And not just about the story.  
  
Soujiro: She's sad because-  
  
Dove: Shut. Up.  
  
All:..okay..  
  
Dove: I will have some extended A/Ns at the end. Read. Enjoy. I'll miss you all.  
  
Sano: How did you all do it? HOW DID YOU BREAK 1000 REVIEWS?!  
  
Kenshin:…magic..  
  
Dark  
  
Chapter Thirty  
  
It had been two days. Tsubame had cooked dinner for them, helped the injured, and given Sano his pain medication faithfully. Kaoru had to admit that the little girl was incredibly sweet and patient.  
  
Kaoru herself had very little pain medication, she had a reasonable tolerance. Kenshin was depressed and severely withdrawn. Kaoru made it a point to bash him upside the head with a pillow at least once a day.  
  
At exactly twelve O'clock on Monday afternoon, the phone rang.  
  
"What?" Kenshin's greeting had not improved much. He listened, and then nodded. And then flushed, realizing that the other person could not see him. "Yeah, I got it. See ya then."  
  
"What is it?" Kaoru asked as Kenshin hung the phone up. She heard Soujiro, Sano, and Tsubame playing a rousing game of pok- go fish - in the livingroom.  
  
"Hiko wants to meet me and you tonight. At the Doozo Yoroshiku." Kaoru felt her breath catch. Even though Gohei wasn't a threat.. something about that did not bode well. But she just nodded without comment.  
  
"When?"  
  
"At 5."  
  
"Great. A whole five hours to wonder."  
  
The day went relatively well.  
  
At 4:30, Soujiro announced that he and Tsubame were going to go watch 'Finding Nemo', since Sano had long since crashed after the effects of his.. happy pills.. had gone away.   
  
At 4:35, Kenshin and Kaoru made their way to the car. Kenshin threatened to lock Kaoru in the trunk when she persistantly asked him to allow her to drive.   
  
At 4:57, they arrived at the Doozo Yoroshiku. They made it to the door of Hiko's back room without any problems. And there the real story begins.  
  
***  
  
Kenshin raised a steady hand to knock almost angrily on the door.  
  
"Enter, Battousai. But leave the girl out there." Kenshin gave Kaoru a helpless look. She nodded and he went in, giving the hall one last 'I dare you' glare.  
  
Kaoru immediately pressed her ear to the thin door.  
  
~~  
  
"Hiko. When you saved and renamed me.. what was my name?" Kenshin blurted out before Hiko could say anything.  
  
((Quick note to all of the reviewers that informed me: I knew what his name was. But it's been 20 years for him, I doubt he'd be able to pull it off of the top of his head. Thanks, though!))  
  
"Why are you asking, boy?"  
  
"Please, just answer me, sir."  
  
"Your name was Shinta. Are you happy? Now. About Kaoru. She's become a nuisance."  
  
"W..what?"  
  
"We're going to put a replacement of her in for the money and land.. but I want her dead."  
  
"Surely you don't-"  
  
"I do. I want you to kill her."  
  
"Then why-"  
  
"I want you to kill her now. Go out there, and kill her, Battousai. That's an order."  
  
~~  
  
Kaoru barely managed to muffle her gasp. Surely Kenshin wouldn't.. but Battousai would. She felt a shudder race down her spine.  
  
'Run. Run now. Far and fast.' Her mind ordered sharply.  
  
Kaoru lunged to her feet and took off down the hall, thrashing her way through the people and slamming out the doors into the street.  
  
She acted without any thought. Sano was not going to be there to protect her, he was unconcious in the apartment. Soujiro and Tsubame were at a movie. She had no hope, unless she could defend herself.  
  
And Kaoru had no doubts about who would have the upper hand in that situation. Against the Battousai, all of her skills were useless. She had her doubts that even the mighty Akuma could pull it off.   
  
Kaoru sprinted down an alleyway. She branched into a back street, and then realized how stupid THAT move was and started back towards the main road..  
  
To late.  
  
A pair of arms wrapped around her waist and tossed her lightly, so she fell to the ground, and rolled a few times.  
  
Before she could even stand, Battousai was above her. He stood above her, she was pinned beneath his legs. Should she stand, she'd still be completely out of luck.  
  
"This seems.. familiar.." She tried.  
  
He did not even blink at her voice. He drew his sword coldly, and readied the strike.  
  
Kaoru's blood froze.  
  
'This must be how those victims feel, in their last moments. When they're facing the certain death of Battousai. They look into those golden puddles of emotionless cold.. and can't help but be afraid.'  
  
***  
  
"That was such a CUTE movie!" Tsubame squealed for the third time.  
  
"Yes, it was."  
  
"I loved that air-headed fish!"  
  
"Me too."  
  
"What's wrong, Mr. Soujiro?"  
  
"I'm not sure. Something just feels really.. wrong."  
  
"Oh.. I'm sorry.."  
  
"Oh, it's probably nothing! Don't worry about it."  
  
"Okay!" Tsubame took it upon herself to skip ahead. She was in the middle of the street when she heard the honk. She looked up to see a speeding van bearing down on her, the breaks squealing in a last-ditch effort to avoid the frozen, shocked little girl.  
  
Soujiro did not think. Just reacted. He threw himself forward, slamming into Tsubame.  
  
"Look-" Thump. The van clipped Tsubame, just sending her skidding and leaving her with some cuts. But it hit Soujiro.  
  
He flew through the air, and slammed hard into the pavement. His head connected after his body, rapping sharply. Blood spilled.  
  
Everything was dead silent for a moment.  
  
And then Tsubame screamed.  
  
~~  
  
Kaoru winced as the blade moved to her throat.  
  
"I might as well say this, before I die. I do love you, Kenshin. It's odd, I didn't think I did. And then I didn't. And then I did again. Very strange. But I thought I'd share. I fell in love with you." He faltered. "Okay. You can kill me now."  
  
He blinked, his golden eyes slightly confused.  
  
"Why on earth are you so talkative in the face of death?"  
  
"I figure that if I'm annoying enough, you'll kill me in the most painless, fastest way possible so I'll shut up." Kaoru shot up at her soon-to-be-killer.  
  
"..who are you?"  
  
"You were ordered to kill me, and you didn't ask?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I'm Kaoru."  
  
"I.. know you.. don't I?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You.. just said you loved me?"  
  
Kaoru reached up, grabbed Kenshin, and ignoring the blade yanked him off balance. He fell on top of her. Slightly painful, but no metal went through her skin. She kissed him with no hesitation.  
  
Kaoru was not planning on taking her death laying down – funny, since she was – if she could help it.  
  
When she released him. She found a pair of lovely lavender eyes staring into her own.  
  
"I..I was going to KILL you! I didn't remember who you were!"  
  
"That's okay. You know now."  
  
"But.. Hiko.."  
  
"He's a bad guy, Kenshin. You are not. He is."  
  
"What she says is true." Saitou announced as he pretty much appeared from the shadows. Kenshin moved to rise, to protect Kaoru. "Don't worry about it – "  
  
"He's an ally." Aoshi finished.  
  
Very quickly, they explained what Hiko was, how he'd been working with Shishio, and why he wanted Kaoru gone.  
  
"She was to smart, he was afraid of her figuring it out. To late, but that's not the point." Kenshin looked very, very upset about all of this. Kaoru was wondering if he'd like to stand up.  
  
~~  
  
The ambulence was fast to get to the scene. Soujiro was still alive.  
  
Unfortunatly, there was severe trauma to his head. Or, as the paramedics called it, 'TBI' or 'Traumatic Brain Injury'.  
  
Tsubame had gone into shock.  
  
One of the paramedics, a short blonde girl with frightfully blue eyes was sitting next to her, attempting to talk her out of it.  
  
The other two were crouched next to Soujiro, trying to avoid his puddle of blood.  
  
"There's damage to the Cerebral Cortex from the looks of it. We'll have to run a CAT scan, but it looks like the Temporal Lobes may have taken some damage." The taller of the two men announced, examining Soujiro.  
  
"Yeah, I agree." The shorter responded, checking Soujiro's pupils for a response. "It also appears that he may be in a coma or worse. He's not responding."  
  
"How do you think the possiblities are that he has ICP?" (InterCranial Pressure)  
  
"Pretty good. But we can't say for sure just by LOOKING at him, Jaren. Now straighten his neck and get him in the brace, I'm off to get the stretcher."  
  
"Okay." Jaren bent attentivly over Soujiro as his partner rose and headed for the ambulance. "Wonder if they'll give him a coma cocktail?" He called.  
  
"Just because you're head of class in your medical class doesn't mean you have to come up with every thing possible!" His friend yelled back.  
  
"But it sure is fun!" He went back to checking Soujiro's vitals and getting him into position for the stretcher.  
  
((Coma Cocktail: A mix of Thiamin, Glucose, and Naloxene given to coma patients in the hope that it will bring them out of it.))  
  
"Okay, we're missing something."  
  
"How about the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation?" ((Stabilizes patient))  
  
"Yeah.. that could be it." They also tossed in some Antiseizure medication as a procaution, since they didn't know what Soujiro would do.  
  
***  
  
"I'm going to kill him."  
  
"…who?"  
  
"Hiko."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because HE ordered ME to kill YOU Kaoru!"  
  
"..and?"  
  
"I can't stand for that!"  
  
"..why not?"  
  
"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU! Why do you always ask so many blasted questions?" Kaoru fell silent and Kenshin resumed his attentive driving. They were headed back to the apartment, after Aoshi and Saitou told them to do so. Kenshin was to act as though he'd followed orders.  
  
Silence lasted for a few more minutes. And then the ringing of Kenshin's cell broke the silence.  
  
"Yeah?" Silence.. silence.. "WHAT?!" silence.. silence.. "Got it."  
  
He hung up.  
  
"What? WHAT?!" Kaoru cried, a chill racing down her back.  
  
"That was a semi-sober Sano. Tsubame called him from the hospital. Soujiro is there. He is in a deep coma right now, and he's on life support. They've sent in tests to see if he is brain dead or not."  
  
"Well, what are we WAITING for?! DRIVE TO THE HOSPITAL!" And they did. Kenshin gunned it and they sped to the hospital. Very lucky to avoid all of the cops.  
  
"What if one of Hiko's plants sees you?"  
  
"I don't care. Kenshin, that's my big brother!" Kaoru leapt out of the car and ran for the hospital. Tsubame was in the waiting room, a Band-Aid on her cheek where she'd hit after Soujiro had thrown her to the side. A few other small bandages hid her other cuts from sight.  
  
She quickly relayed the tale, and then led them to the ICU.  
  
"Only family, honey." One of the nurses announced, blocking the door to Soujiro's room.  
  
"He's my older brother, her cousin, and his.. brother-in-law."  
  
"Oh! Well, that's okay then." The woman smiled pleasantly and let them pass.  
  
Soujiro was limp on the bed. Kaoru felt tears prick her eyes. He was pale and listless, unable to breath on his own.  
  
She lifted one of his hands into her own and was surprised at how warm it was, he looked dead.  
  
"Oh, Soujiro.. why did you have to be such a good guy?" Kaoru sighed. Tsubame was already sobbing, hiccupping softly. Kenshin stayed back, uncomfortable at the sight of the boy he'd come to think of almost as a little brother laying without any life at all.  
  
There was a soft knock on the door.  
  
Megumi entered. She was a plant from Aoshi's syndicate, and had recognized Tsubame and Soujiro, despite the beating that Soujiro had taken.  
  
She held a chart in her hand, and her face was grim.  
  
"I have the results, as to whether or not Soujiro is brain-dead." She announced.  
  
"AND?!" Kaoru cried, leaping up, Soujiro's hand still clenched in her own.  
  
"Well, he-"  
  
A/N:   
  
Dove: That is it. No, seriously. This is the end of Dark. I have loved you all, and this has been an insane ride. The experience I gained from writing Dark allowed me to win first place in a Short Story – Fantasy contest at my school. About everything that happened to Soujiro.. I looked it up.  
  
Sano: They're all going to kill you, for leaving Soujiro in the balance like that.. to END Dark.  
  
Kenshin: ..really..  
  
Dove:..yeah.. I know.. but if they want to find out, looks like they need to bribe this greedy writer to write a sequel. ^_-  
  
Sano: ..you're awfully cheerful..  
  
Dove: I just feel like being happy.. and to that 'Luna' person that has apparently just discovered Dark.. thank you very much for all of the reviews! She reviewed on like.. every chapter! And look at that – 1000 reviews! DANG!!  
  
Kenshin:..yeah..  
  
Dove: Anyways.. not much to say.. it really has been a nutty ride. All of this stuff that happened.. I still left a lot of loose ends.. but it will all come together in the sequel.  
  
Sano:..if there is one..  
  
Dove:.. we should hope as much…  
  
Sano:.. right..  
  
Kenshin: YOU should hope as much..  
  
Dove: Oh, shut up you two, before I sick my 12 lovely dogs and my 12 fun servants on you! BWAHAHA!  
  
Kenshin:… the gods themselves do tremble..  
  
Dove: Whatever. Anyways, I'll miss you all.. join me again soon for the sequel, 'Silence'!  
  
Sano:.. we hope.. 


	31. A Note

**Story:**

**So, Kenshin met Kaoru and then they went about having a life.**

**The end.

* * *

**

Yes. That counts. Grrrr.

So, just a few things to say ladies and gents.

First -- I wrote this story...SO long ago, my writing style has matured in an immense way. I'm considering rewriting the story and reposting it; but I can't decide. I want to do that because I'm going to be changing a lot of elements, which technically makes it a new story. But it's going to be awfully close to the same.

Any thoughts?

My authors notes make me cringe. xDDD

I'm glad I've matured beyond this. -nod- Not by much though. -

Don't forget. Sequel: Silence.

Sequel to Silence: Solace.

Solace: Currently unfinished. x.x


End file.
